Our Approach

A scalable, “bottom-up” approach to mitigating subsistence deforestation.

Graphic of the Equitable Forestry model. Click for a larger view.

We believe that through impact investments in sustainable forestry we can mitigate tropical deforestation on a broad scale. The causes of tropical deforestation are many, and our business cannot address them all. Planting Empowerment and our investors focus on reducing subsistence deforestation resulting from activities such as small agriculture and cattle ranching. 

"Planting Empowerment is creating an effective financial mechanism to combat deforestation through direct and indirect payments that people can feel, touch and show."

Jose Manuel Perez,
UNDP-GEF Small Grants Program

We call the framework to address these issues the Equitable Forestry model.

This pioneering approach grew from a local need for more sustainable income-generating activities, and the need to slow deforestation in rural Panama. First implemented in 2007 through a 25 acre pilot project, the Equitable Forestry approach has been well received by our rural community forestry partners.

The following are the tenets of the Equitable Forestry model:

Land tenure »
Partnership mentality »
Native species »
Scalability »
Measurement »