The Ultimate Gift For The Sussexes (And Our Planet) This Christmas

It's that time of year when so many of us are beginning to think about the centrepiece of our Christmas display - the tree. Colour schemes, decorations, baubles with decades of family history and of course homemade ornaments created by children in the family. A group of supporters of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been doing rather a lot of thinking about tress too, on a global scale that is. Inspired by Harry and Meghan's environmental and climate action efforts, the incredible team from Sussex Great Forest set out with the goal to plant 10,000 trees all over the world before Archie's first birthday in May.

As we've seen with #GlobalSussexBabyShower which raised over $100K for a range of fantastic causes and other grassroots led initiatives in honour of the couple, the level of actionable support for worthy charities and philanthropic endeavours is something spectacular to see. So yes, six days later, Sussex Great Forest has planted almost 9,000 trees all over the world. Planters from the UK, US, South Africa, Kenya, Netherlands, Canada, India, France, Uganda, Portugal, Lithuania, Philippines and many more have joined in.

As you can imagine this did not go unnoticed by a certain royal couple :)

Sussex Great Forest New York spokesperson Rita Ann Wallace said:

“We are inspired by the passion Prince Harry has shown for the environment, Meghan for uplifting women who are the beneficiaries of some of the organizations we’ve chosen as well as by young people like Greta Thunberg who are clamouring for us adults to do something to change the world we pass down to them".

It was particularly touching to hear one story which media liaison Erica kindly shared with me. Zanye and her family have pledged to plant 400 trees on their farm in Wakiso, Uganda in support of the effort. Following a period of considering various options to maximise the productivity of their land, their reaction to this initiative was simply "Let's do it". The trees will serve several purposes; from fruit trees for food to trees with medicinal properties and a host of others. Zanye told the team "This is about making a connection between ourselves and the land and why we should take care of it".

How can you help? Why not plant a tree in your own garden or community? It can be a great family activity and fun to see it grow in the years to come. You can share a photo of your tree by tagging @SussexGtForest on Twitter or Facebook.

Embed from Getty Images

You can donate to a number of amazing organisations including Tree Sisters. They have a page on their website here for Sussex Great Forest. The charity's mission is to rapidly accelerate tropical reforestation by channeling women's leadership into local and global action. They are currently undertaking efforts to plant 1 million trees per month.

One Tree Planted is a fantastic organisation planting trees all over the world for $1. You can choose where your tree is planted from North America and Latin America to Asia and Africa. The Sussex Great Forest page is here.

They are also tirelessly campaigning following the devastating effects of the California Forest Fires last year. Already this year 4,000 wildfires have burned more than 629,000 hectares. As Meghan's from the state, I thought her fans may want to support the work being done there. Click here to read more.

The initiative has also set up a fundraising page in support of the International Tree Foundation. More from ITF: "The World Bank estimates that forests contribute to the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people and that 60 million are totally dependent on forests. This dependency often leads to unsustainable forest management in order to meet demand for timber and other forest products from rich countries. This can lock individuals and communities into a cycle of deforestation and poverty. As deforested land becomes nutrient-poor and unable to support agriculture, more land has be cleared. Agroforestry – farming using trees and forests – helps to break the cycle of poverty and deforestation by meeting the need for timber and fuel wood, fruits and forest products through sustainable planting and management of trees and forests. It also sustains forest ecosystems and provides habitats for wildlife, encouraging the return of endangered species." Last year the organisation planted almost half a million trees.

Last but certainly not least, the Green Belt Movement is striving to empower communities and protect the environment with their Gift-A-Tree campaign. For $10 you can gift a tree and dedicate it to someone in your life as a Christmas present. You'll receive a beautiful postcard with details on where your tree has been planted.

During a speech on demining in June, Harry spoke about the effects on the land and conservation in Angola. "In Cuando Cubango, in the far southeast of what is a vast, beautiful country, I saw a struggling community in a deserted landscape unable to make use of the land, yet the potential to turn this land into a sustainable source for its people." Addressing news of a new mission to safeguard the Okavanga watershed he added: "This unique ecosystem is one of the great wildlife refuges of the world enriching its biodiversity for all of humanity. My hope is that through this collaboration, minefields can be cleared, land can be protected, wildlife can be free to return to where they once roamed, and Angolans can reap the rewards by coexisting with the one constant that will draw people in from all over the world the extraordinary setting that they call home."

Some background information and statistics from Conservation International and other organisations referenced above:

• The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2)​​​​​​​ in our atmosphere, as of 2018, is the highest it has been in 3 million years.
• Eleven percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are caused by deforestation - comparable to the emissions from all of the cars and trucks on the planet.
• In the Amazon, 1% of tree species sequester 50% of the region’s carbon.
• Eleven percent of the world’s population is currently vulnerable to climate change impacts such as droughts, floods, heat waves, extreme weather events and sea-level rise.
• Trees are the longest living organisms on the planet and one of the earth's greatest natural resources.
• A single mature tree can absorb 48lbs. of carbon a year, and makes enough clean oxygen for 4 people to breathe fresh air.
• Scientists believe reforestation is the most viable way of tackling the climate crisis.
• The ITF reports a typical four-square-mile patch of rainforest contains as many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies.
• 1 in 4 ingredients in our medicine come from rainforest plants.

The team from Sussex Great Forest believe so passionately in this "to change the climate outlook for Archie's generation". If we all play our part, we can change the future for our planet. It's been so special to see the reaction to this campaign and to speak to one of the ladies involved. Again, we're seeing a female-led initiative demonstrating women uplifting each other in aid of one of the most pressing issues of our time. Erica told me something I've mentioned on this blog about Harry and Meghan on multiple occasions "What’s often lost in the noise is how much they’ve accomplished and how much they’ve inspired others to do the same." This will undoubtedly be the best gift they'll receive this year.

****************

On that note, to show the collective power of the Sussex community, I want to briefly share an update on a wonderful charity. Thanks to donations following Forces For Change, Tiny Tickers has been able to place three pulseoximetry machines at Royal Sussex County Hospital. The charity aims to improve the detection, diagnosis and care of babies with serious heart conditions. 

More from the charity:

'The three monitors have been donated using funds raised from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex choosing Tiny Tickers as one of their Forces for Change charities in August 2019. As a project, Forces for Change intends to shine a light on smaller, lesser-known charities and organisations. Thanks to nominations from many supporters, Tiny Tickers was selected as one of the 15 charities to be followed by the royal couple on Instagram during the month of August. Thanks to the awareness created by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Instagram and subsequent donations from fans of the royal couple, Tiny Tickers was able to place three new pulse oximetry machines at The Royal Sussex County Hospital. 

According to Laura Spicer, Community Team Leader at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, the machines have already detected a heart defect in a newborn baby. She says, ‘The machines are an invaluable resource to families and midwives. We have already detected a baby with a heart condition following a homebirth as a result of having these monitors. The baby is now being treated at the Evelina Hospital. 

Tiny Tickers CEO, Jon Arnold, says, ‘It was a wonderful surprise to have been chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as one of their 15 Forces for Change charities. Already we’ve seen a tremendous increase in awareness of the charity, our work, and the CHD cause globally. We’re so grateful to the people who nominated us and, of course, to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their support.’

**************

Finally, to mark World Access To Higher Education Day, Meghan shared a message in her role as patron of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

'Today, on World Access to Higher Education Day, we are able to celebrate the vital role that colleges and universities play in society and how important it is for all people, regardless of gender or socioeconomic background, to have the opportunity to access this higher education. The value of this cannot be understated.  Because education expands mindsets, and those minds can then expand the scope of the world at large. From a micro to a macro level, it is with education that we see great change  

Earlier this year I met Simon Kiongo from Kenya, who grew up on a small family farm, and traded vegetables as a means of covering tuition costs. It struck me as such a prime example of how so many around the world yearn for education and do whatever they can to afford themselves that opportunity. Now, with support from the ACU, he is doing remarkable cancer research for his country, specifically looking at fertilizers in the food supply and the carcinogenic links that has on community health. Simon is higher education in action.

The ACU highlights journeys to belonging – looking at how universities can support access to higher education for those who are most vulnerable – be it refugees or those displaced. Additionally the ACU continues to create opportunities for those within the university structure – the faculty and staff who require grants to maximize the impact of their research studies, and enabling students to exceed even their own expectations of what they can achieve.
I am proud to be patron of the ACU and all that it stands for, as we champion those seeking a higher education and commit to making this world a better place – together. 

HRH The Duchess of Sussex, Patron of the ACU' 

Meghan with Simon.

The couple are currently on a private break until after Christmas. I expect they are very much looking forward to marking Archie's first Thanksgiving on Thursday.

UPDATE 27/11/2019 - Sussex Great Forest has reached its goal of planting 10,000 trees and will continue with efforts to double it. Keep planting, keep donating and thank you to everyone who has participated so far. A reminder, the International Tree Foundation will match all donations until 10 December.