2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, one of the major objectives of which is to raise awareness of biodiversity.

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It is essential for sustaining the natural living systems or ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services.

Humans are part of this biodiversity too and have the power to protect or destroy it. Currently, our activities are destroying biodiversity at alarming rates. These losses are irreversible, impoverish us all and damage the life support systems we rely on. But we can prevent them.

We need to reflect on our achievements to safeguard biodiversity and focus on the urgent challenges ahead. Now is the time to act.Tree Appeal have an ambitious plan to plant as many trees as possible to celebrate this special year, helping to preserve and create wildlife habitats.

To help acknowledge the contribution of our supporters, Tree Appeal are compiling a UK biodiversity tree register, which will be delivered to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. On this page you can see a list of our current Corporate Partners and the numbers of trees they have sponsored. Very shortly we will be making available a downloadable document which will list the individuals who have planted trees through initiatives such as "Dedicate a Tree" and Family Investments.

Trees and biodiversity

So why trees? Firstly, they are the longest living organism on the planet and will provide homes for countless living creatures for many hundreds of years. Secondly, we desperately need more trees to replace our aging native broad leaved trees.

For every UK tree planted in this special initiative, we plant its twin in Africa. Some of these are fruit trees, which not only contribute to biodiversity but prevent soil erosion and help with water retention, playing a vital role in reducing famine.

Quite simply, trees help to stitch the world back together.

By planting trees at home and in Africa, we will be in a key position to bring global influence on contentious issues like the deforestation of our rainforests, protecting the huge variety of biodiversity that lives within them.

Make a contribution - plant a tree

For a one off sum of £10, you can plant a tree in the UK, along with its African twin.

For every 100 trees planted, we will also send a computer to Africa, giving over a hundred underprivileged children a grounding in computer skills. We achieve this by working with our charity partner, Computer Aid. At the point of purchase, you can print out a posh certificate to commemorate your contribution.

When you plant a tree, your name or your company name will feature in the register which will be delivered to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, showing that you understand, appreciate and support biodiversity.