Some green and good news… Oboz Footwear has expanded its partnership with Trees for the Future (www.trees.org) with the Tabora Forest Garden Project in Tanzania, Africa. Since 2007, the Bozeman, MT-based outdoor brand has planted a tree for every pair of boots or shoes sold through its partnership with Trees for the Future. To date, the company has planted more than 3 million trees.
“Trees for the Future has been a cornerstone program for Oboz,” says Rich Hohne, Oboz director of marketing. “Through the Tabora Forest Garden Project, we will be able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the farmers and their families.”
By strategically planting specific types of trees, families can positively change their lives. “Forest Gardens” consist of thousands of trees that provide families with food sources, livestock feed, products to sell and, on average, a 400 percent increase in their annual income over four years.
The four-year project consists of three stages. In the first one to two years, the farmers learn how to protect, stabilize and segment their field by growing “fertilizer” trees and growing a protective barrier, the “Living Fence.” In years two and three, they diversify their fields with a vegetable and fruit tree portfolio to meet the family’s priority nutritional needs and market opportunities. And in years three and four, the farmers learn about advanced Forest Garden management and conservation techniques that optimize the long-term health and productivity of the land.
Over the next year, Oboz and Trees for the Future will be documenting and sharing progress from the project. To learn more about and keep up to date on the Tabora Forest Garden Project, visit www.obozfootwear.com/tabora-project.
