Nurtured hair, Nurtured Planet: Reforestation work to help replant biodiversity
Herbal Essences partners with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to help replant our planet
Herbal Essences has committed to donate funds to help replant 200,000 trees in 2022
#PlantForward #SaveWhatsReal
Plants are the source of all life, yet 40% of plant species are at risk of disappearing, and with them real nature, real life and real communities.
At Herbal Essences, we believe in the power of plants. Our nurturing formulas contain real plant extracts, certified by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and we believe plants also nurture our world. We wouldn’t survive 10 minutes on Earth without them. That’s why, we are teaming up with our partners from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to help replant our planet, bottle by bottle, tree by tree. #PlantForward #ReplantOurPlanet #SaveWhatsReal
Replanting our planet with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is working to protect and restore plants and plant biodiversity around the globe. Starting in 2022, Herbal Essences is partnering with Kew’s plant scientists to help replant endangered areas, protecting nature, life, and communities. In 2022, our replanting efforts will be focused on replanting trees in endangered areas in the state of Veracruz in Mexico, helping communities restore threatened land that is not under land protection and benefit from native plants for generations to come.
Nurtured hair, nurtured planet 1 tree can grow a forest 1 tree can sustain more life 1 tree can empower women and communities Helping women while helping the Earth Nurturing your hair, while nurturing the planet. #PlantForward #ReplantOurPlanet #SaveWhatsReal
Right Tree, Right Place
Global climate change and habitat loss pose huge threats to biodiversity – the variety of life on earth. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are being released into the atmosphere at increased rates because of human activities, causing global temperatures to rise and resulting in long-term changes to the climate. Natural habitat loss is continuing relentlessly, despite global efforts to stop it. An area of pristine tropical forest the size of Denmark is destroyed every year. Reforestation, the restoration of forests that have recently been lost, could protect biodiversity and help fight global climate change by removing huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
But when people plant the wrong trees in the wrong place, it can cause more harm than good.
A recent review led by Kew scientists and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) proposes ‘ten golden rules for reforestation’ to boost benefits for people and the planet.
- Protect existing forests first
- Work with local people
- Maximize biodiversity recovery to meet multiple goals
- Select the right area for reforestation
- Use natural forestation wherever possible
- Select tree species that maximize biodiversity
- Use resilient tree species that can adapt to changing climates
- Plan ahead
- Learn by doing
- Make it pay
What is Herbal Essences funding in the Plant Forward program?
Herbal Essences is supporting the planting of native trees to support community-based reforestation activities and educating local communities how to use these plants for food, medicine, building materials, fuel, etc. for generations to come. It is important that these trees are reforested for the vital survival of local people, but also for our planet to continue to thrive.
This program originated in 2002 when conservation scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew began collaborating with local universities and NGOs in Mexico in a community-based approach to protect and replant threatened native species that are beneficial to local people and the ecosystem.
Additional funding from Herbal Essences will support efforts by small landowners to continue recovering and reforesting degraded areas with native tree species, increasing biodiversity and conserving important and vulnerable ecosystems. As a result, local communities will have additional provision such as high-quality wood, fruits, honey and other ecosystem benefits like carbon capture which will prevent erosion. We are replanting our planet to help real communities thrive, thanks to the power of plants.
Why replanting in Mexico?
Herbal Essences sources ingredients from all over the world. Our real Aloe Vera is sourced from Mexico. Mexico is one of the most floristically rich countries in the world. Unfortunately, deforestation is heavily impacting this country and native tree species are under threat. The loss of trees has a direct impact on vital ecosystem services, affecting the natural capital of Mexico and people’s livelihoods. Without these trees many local communities could be denied food and medicine they have known to use and trust across generations.
Responsible replanting that promotes plant biodiversity
The scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew understand the important role native plants play in our ecosystem; yet we are losing biodiversity of species at an alarmingly high rate. It is important that native trees and plants are protected not only to halt biodiversity loss, but for the vital role they play in improving livelihoods of the people and communities that depend on local plants for medicine, food among many other uses. This program helps restore degraded land in an authentic way that promotes biodiversity and resources for local communities for generations to come.
*"Natural resources are being degraded at an unprecedented rate and we all need to act to protect them. The reforestation programme in Mexico shows how returning native trees of community interest can benefit the soil, but also benefit people’s livelihoods to provide a sustainable future. Our aspiration at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is to create a world where nature is protected, valued and managed sustainably. This is a step in the right direction, and we are delighted to be working with Herbal Essences and our colleagues in Mexico to plant a significant number of trees in the country.”
Professor Monique Simmonds, Deputy Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew*
About RBG Kew’s Mission
The mission of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of the world’s leading plant science institutions, is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of life on Earth.
To deliver our mission, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has five priorities:
- Deliver science-based knowledge and solutions to protect biodiversity and use natural resources sustainably
- Inspire people to protect the natural world
- Train the next generation of experts
- Extend our reach
- Influence national and international opinion and policy