If biased as a founder and CEO, I've also had the best chance to get a long-term and comprehensive view of SeedTree's impacts, first-hand -- on the people, communities and lands served by this action-oriented organization. Though they do not yet meet all my ambitious hopes, they far exceed any initial expectations. Examples from my field visit to Nepal include a woman in a 1996 nursery group who just sold her flood damaged trees planted then for over $2250, another enjoying mulberries and profits from selling silk cacoon fed on leaves of trees we helped her plant. A third told how her improved stove not only gave her a smoke free home, but halved her need for fuel wood. Stories like these from the thousands served by our projects are my greatest reward.
I am amazed at how many trees this organization plants, how many local people in Nepal, Peru, and India it involves in the work, how many education classes are taught and other community improvement projects accomplished (like public water taps, latrines, biogas digesters, and improved smokeless cookstoves)...... and all on a very low budget. The executive director works tirelessly to coordinate all this, and takes very little compensation. SeedTree is the biggest bang for my buck of any organization I have ever donated to.
SeedTree has planted millions of trees with engaged community members around the world. We have been planting native species long before most realized the importance of both protecting local genetic sources, and minimzing the risk of introduced exotic species. In addition to tree planting and watershed restoration, SeedTree has provided educational scholarships, community wells for fresh drinking water, biogas and fuel-efficient stoves to reduce pressures to unsustainably harvest trees, etc., etc., etc. This is a fantastic organization that's about as lean and mean as they come. Virtually all of our funding goes directly to making an impact on the ground.
Since three years i am in contact with SeedTree. I am also involved with various meeting and training organized by SeedTree. SeedTree have provided me scholorship for me to study Bachelor Degree in forestry science and Tibhuvan University,Institute of Forestry,Hetauda Campus, Hetauda.
Working style of SeedTree is very intresting. Though it is a small organization it is always working according to the predetermined protocol.
I first heard about SeedTree three years ago when I was in my first year of Bachelor of Forestry Science. But within a year I became a work study scholor for SeedTree in Nepal. My experience with SeedTree is awesome. I got a chance to learn a lot from being close with this organization. I am involving myself in maintaining the ST KKG Scholarship and communications coordination between SeedTree and its projects in Nepal. I have got a chance to offer my young vision into project formulation and implementation.
Conserving and renewing the endangered ecosystem with human ecology is not easy task in present situation but also SeedTree has succeeded to make a example in this field by implementing different working modalities and project such as Nursery management and tree plantation, information and Environment Education Class, Bio Gas, Alternative Energy etc.
SeedTree believes and focuses on an action oriented program which directly benefits the ecosystem.
SeedTree, though having limited fund, is doing a great work in community level. The output from limited resources is making SeedTree more effective. If SeedTree is able to increase funds, then more activities in field will result.