BUT ARE THE PEOPLE BUYING THIS IDEA
Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal and Anoop Hingorani
Proposing tree adoption for sustainable forest management funding for Bhutan!
INTRODUCTION
Our hypothesis is that many people across the planet are aware of the
global warming problems and understand the necessity to preserve trees that
cushion the earth creating home to millions of living and non-living beings.
However, they are unable to contribute to tree conservation owing to various
reasons such as lack of space, political willingness and modern concept of life. We see that wealthy people enjoy visits to clean sea shores, mountains and never explored
or less visited nature-based destinations, an indication that they like fresh
and free air. Therefore, it can be assumed that they will be willing to
contribute to nature conservation without reservations. Their ability to pay a lot of money for visiting places that make them happy and fresh can be used to multiply by giving them opportunity to make them own the nature itself by encouraging ideas such as tree adoption. Because they understand
the importance of nature and trees, we can bank on their willingness to contribute in endeavors such as this because by any logic they would not hesitate
to contribute any amount for the sake of saving the mother earth. Therefore,
creating opportunities for the rich people to conserve nature is very important
for conserving trees and subsequently saving the earth.
Even otherwise, the intention with people in
general is to contribute to nature conservation in any format. But we see that they have either been deprived of the opportunity to contribute or there are very little
avenues for them to participate and donate to nature conservation. They do
not have space or easy access to such initiatives. Hence, creating
opportunities for people from all walks of life is vital at this juncture, when
materialists have taken over many opportunities to expand their businesses.
One of the best opportunities to save trees and
subsequently nature is by allowing people to either adopt or sponsor a tree or
more. This might sound weird, but this will work. People with good values are
expected to come forward to adopt or sponsor trees. With this opportunity being
opened, people from all level of life, very rich, rich and not so rich can come
forward and adopt or sponsor any number of trees in Bhutan. Ultimately, this
will help in reducing the effects of global warming.
WHY
Why should people Adopt/Sponsor a tree? People willing to contribute to nature should be explained the importance
of preservation of the tree and its contribution as a carbon sink and generation
of precious oxygen required for natures cycles. This way the person shall be
sponsoring oxygen supply for self and family.
Good Karma
There are instances of many people contributing to temples and to charities supporting good causes. Similarly, contribution towards tree adoption or tree sponsorship is a similar kind of approach for gaining good karma.
Good Karma
There are instances of many people contributing to temples and to charities supporting good causes. Similarly, contribution towards tree adoption or tree sponsorship is a similar kind of approach for gaining good karma.
SCHEME
FEATURES
•
Allow people who are interested to contribute funds
to adopt or sponsor a tree for various duration.
• One-year duration – 100 dollars
• Five-year duration – 300 dollars
• Life time duration – 700 dollars
• Family life time duration – 1000 dollars (Group of 4
or 5 trees are named with all the family members).
• The people who contributes funds get to have their
names displayed on a fully-grown tree. (The name can be written on a cloth and
then tied to the tree or any other method that does not cause any harm to the
tree or the environment).
• The tree should be part of a forest reserve with
access to people who have contributed and view his name displayed on the trees.
• This forest reserve where the trees are named after
various people, shall become a tourist destination as many tourists would like to visit this as a place of interest.
• A tourist visiting the forest reverse, should be
able to adopt or sponsor the tree on the spot.
WEB
SITE
• A dedicated web site would be required to store
information of the people who adopts or sponsors a tree.
• The website should have a photograph of the person
along with his details.
• The website should contain the duration of tree
adoption or tree sponsorship.
• The website should be able to send reminder e-mails
to sponsors who have taken annual adoption or five-year adoption for renewal.
• The website should display certain information of
the person - like Nationality, period of sponsorship, start date of the
sponsorship, date of birth etc.
• The website should have credit card payment
processing options for people to directly contribute (if they wish) and are
unable to visit the forest reverse. The website should allow people interested,
to upload their photographs on the website as a contributor.
FUND
UTILIZATION
• Fund generated through this scheme should be
utilized for the day to day maintenance of the forest reserve.
• Part of the fund should be utilized for planting new
saplings for future trees.
• The fund should be utilized to generate compost etc.
and all other natural boosters for the growth of the trees.
• The funds should also be utilized for all the
facilities for tourists (like washrooms, Tea/Coffee and Snack counters) who visit
and would like to spend a day at the forest reserve.
• All the information of funds collected, and funds
utilized should be displayed on the website to establish transparency.
MARKETING
STRATEGY
• The scheme should have approval from the highest level
within government agencies
• Tourists visiting the country should be provided
information for Tree Adoption or Tree Sponsorship on all flights to Bhutan.
• There should be information of Tree Adoption or Tree
Sponsorship displayed at all the hotels throughout Bhutan and tourist
locations.
• Tree Adoption or Tree Sponsorship information should
be displayed at shops where tourist visit for shopping.
• Tree Adoptions or Tree Sponsorship fund collection
centres, should be included at local banks or post offices (this can be
finalized later after the response of the first year).
TERMS
& CONDITIONS
• Trees offered for adoption or sponsorship are and
shall remain property of the forest reserve (or any government department it
falls under) and the person adopting or sponsoring the tree has no legal
ownership of the tree.
• Trees offered for adoption or sponsorship are
susceptible to various natural threats like floods, earthquakes, in such cases
the functioning authority shall not be responsible for any destruction of the trees.
Forest reserve authorities shall try to accommodate the names of sponsors again
once the trees are re-grown or use another location to assign the names.
• Forest reserve authorities shall replace the names
of the sponsors from one tree to another one in-case the trees are removed due
to any emergency situations and the sponsor shall be informed through email.
DISCLAIMER
This is my personal thought and anything written here is not intended to harm or promote people or things mentioned here. No one is authorized to use the content of this blog for either personal or private purpose. People mentioned here in are fictitious characters and any resemblance to anyone with some characters or more are purely coincidence.
