Planning by Design x Treeapp: Our Environmental Impact in 2025

Sustainability is one of those topics that can quickly become vague. Lots of good intentions. Lots of buzzwords. Not always a lot of clarity.

At Planning By Design, sustainability has always been at the heart of what we do, not as a buzzword, but as a responsibility. For every client we work with, we plant 10 trees, contributing to a meaningful and long-term environmental impact. Since partnering with Treeapp in April 2023, Planning By Design has funded the planting of over 24,000 trees on behalf of our clients.

Rather than speaking about sustainability in abstract terms, we prefer to show what it looks like in practice.

This blog shares what our partnership with Treeapp delivered in 2025  through real projects, measurable outcomes, and meaningful environmental impact.

Over the year, our Treeapp partnership contributed to 7,930 trees planted in 2025, bringing our total to 24,00 trees planted to date. The wider impact linked to these trees includes approximately ~5.29 hectares reforested, an estimated 864.37 tonnes of CO₂ absorbed over the trees’ lifetime (a conservative estimate), 79 workdays created for local communities and farmers, and around ≈431 species planted.

These numbers matter. But what matters even more is what they represent: land being restored, habitats being strengthened, and communities being supported through work designed to last.

Why this matters to us as a planning and design business

When you work in this field, one thing becomes very clear: the decisions made around buildings shape places for decades. They affect land use, resources, biodiversity, and the way communities grow.

Tree planting alone is not the solution to climate challenges. But we believe responsible businesses should support environmental initiatives that are measurable, transparent, and grounded in real outcomes particularly businesses connected to the places people live.

That is what makes this partnership meaningful for us. It goes beyond headline numbers. It connects planting efforts to specific projects, locations, monitoring, and long-term stewardship.

Where the projects are making a differenceThe projects supported through Treeapp span multiple locations around the world, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Haiti, Burundi, Tanzania, Nepal, Indonesia, Brazil, Madagascar, Guinea, the Philippines, Peru and Ecuador.

Each ecosystem requires a different approach. Coastal mangrove restoration demands different methods than woodland creation or mountain reforestation. What stands out is that each project is designed around the needs of its environment  and around what sustainable recovery looks like in that specific location.

A UK moment we’re genuinely proud of 

In Northampton, a multi-year initiative is underway to restore a former landfill site through woodland and hedgerow planting. During November 2025, the programme included more than 500 trees planted at the site.

What makes this project particularly meaningful is its long-term vision. The planting programme aims to create habitats comparable to nearby woodland, supporting bird species such as lapwing, grey partridge and yellow wagtails, while establishing habitat corridors that improve cover, food availability, and nesting conditions.

The project also includes community wellbeing events connected to a nearby alpaca farm  a reminder that environmental restoration can support both nature and local communities at the same time.

Haiti: mangroves, monitoring, and signs of recovery

What makes this project encouraging is that it goes beyond planting alone. Monitoring and aftercare are built into the programme, ensuring trees are able to establish and thrive.

Results already show promising progress. The site has achieved an average survival rate of around 90%, with trees growing rapidly to heights of 5–7 feet. Even more encouraging is the return of wildlife to the restored areas, including sightings of flamingos.

These are the signals that restoration is truly taking hold.

Brazil: restoration with communities and long-term monitoring

Along Maranhão’s coast, mangrove restoration is helping to strengthen shorelines and support local fisheries.

The project also involves collaboration with Indigenous communities, integrating traditional knowledge into restoration work while creating employment and livelihood opportunities.

Alongside planting, monitoring tools such as GIS mapping help guide planting zones and track long-term outcomes ensuring restoration efforts remain effective over time.

For us, this combination matters: ecology, stewardship, and community working together.

Nepal: restoring forests and supporting red panda habitat

Beyond planting trees, the programme includes ongoing stewardship activities such as mulching, weeding and the use of natural fertilisers, helping young forests establish successfully.

The social impact is equally important. The programme supports fair-wage employment and skills development, with nearly 40% of jobs held by women, including roles in nurseries and planting teams.

It’s a reminder that environmental restoration and community development often go hand in hand.

What real impact looks like for us

Sustainability should never exist only in slogans.

For us, impact is about measurable progress and transparent outcomes.

In 2025, that progress included:

• 7,930 trees planted
• ~5.29 hectares of land reforested
• 864.37 tonnes of CO₂ expected to be absorbed over the trees’ lifetime
• 79 workdays created for local communities
• ≈431 different species planted

These numbers represent progress  not perfection. But they demonstrate real movement in the right direction.

Why Treeapp

Treeapp was re-certified as a B-Corp in 2025, increasing its score from 101.1 to 123.8 — a 22.5% improvement. The organisation has now planted over 6 million trees across more than 20 countries, supporting the restoration of ecosystems around the world.

Globally, the programme has introduced 450+ native tree species, helping to strengthen biodiversity and ecological resilience across its projects.

That scale, combined with transparency and accountability, is why we are proud to support this partnership.

Designing for the long term

For every client we work with, we plant 10 trees, a small but consistent action that ensures each project contributes positively to the natural environment as well as the built one.

Because planning decisions shape places for generations. They influence land use, biodiversity, energy performance and the way communities function long after construction is complete.

Thoughtful planning is not just about gaining approval. It is about creating places that stand the test of time.

If you’re planning a project  and you want a team that approaches planning with creativity, rigor and long-term perspective, we would be pleased to support you.

Contact Planning By Design today for a free-no obligation consultation to discuss your project.