This was written by Federico Garcea, founder and CEO of Treedom, the famous Italian startup that Geopietra® has chosen as a partner to launch the new project "Rebuild the human-nature bond", born to thank those who wish to take part in the reconstruction of the relationship between man and nature.

Geopietra® has always sought the balance between man and the environment through an authentic product, suitable for different natural landscapes, capable of recalling the sensations of the original stone. Geopietra®, due to its manufactured nature, limits the excavation of stone to protect the territory, while it completes its proposal by studying systems for energy saving and living comfort, certifying them with strict safety and durability tests. Similarly, Treedom cultivates only native plants in its forests, recreating and maintaining the original biodiversity of the land and avoiding the introduction of new species. The two realities therefore share a common mission: to recreate what nature has been offering for millions of years, while respecting the environment.

For Geopietra®, the preservation of landscape, traditions and attention to wellbeing of the people are therefore nothing new, but concrete actions aimed at rebuilding the relationship between man and nature, implemented constantly over the last twenty-five years. With the support of Treedom, Geopietra® wanted to create a forest of native species, located in Africa and South America, which refuses the implementation of intensive cultivation and the introduction of plantations alien to that territory. Each plant in the Geopietra® forest is donated to our professionals who look to the future with an innovative and sustainable spirit.

The new virtual plant guardians can visit a personal online diary at any time, constantly updated, where they can stay informed about the project in total transparency. On the diary it’s possible to find all the news about Treedom and the plant, as well as to give a name to it, to discover its real scientific name and to learn about local uses related to these species. A virtual map allows the caretaker to know the spatial coordinates of the tree, whether it is still in the nursery or after it has been planted in the permanent ground. Finally, it is possible to monitor the amount of carbon dioxide the plant has absorbed since it was born.

Four species, native of those places and with a strong symbolic value, were selected for the forest: the Banana tree, associated with fantasy, the Avocado, an incentive to creativity, the Coffee plant, a source of energy, and finally the Markhamia, a symbol of value. These meanings well represent the philosophy of Geopietra® and can help to rebuild the ancient bond with nature, projecting us into a better future.

The “Sustainable Development Goals” are part of the 2030 Agenda adopted in 2015 by all member states of the United Nations. It’s a global partnership dedicated to reducing inequality and stimulating economic growth, working together to preserve the environment of our planet. By planting trees in developing areas, Geopietra®, through Treedom®, contributes to the achievement of these ambitious goals. Once inserted into existing agroforestry systems, Treedom® plants flank annual crops (such as maize, beans or wheat) which form the basic livelihood of entire families. This integration between species does not damage cultivation, but offers farmers and their loved ones the opportunity to diversify income, creating an ecosystem where different crops can support each other.

Afterwards, the process of tree care and maintenance lasts for years and does not end with the simple planting. It’s an investment for the future that requires time and trust, as the production time of an agroforestry system is much longer than local farmers could face alone. This is why Treedom is also committed to supporting local communities during the years when the system is not yet productive, by providing the seedlings and financing the training needed to learn how to take care of them.

In the long run, this means:

• Encouraging local self-sufficiency
• Offering farmers alternatives for their diet
• Multiplying harvest times, hence income opportunities
• Leaving the ownership of the trees to the farmers who take care of them
• Provide them with branches, leaves and fronds that can be used as wood, fodder or building material
• Transferring skills and expertise to local people, who can transfer them to others too
• Financing the production of seedlings and the entire training, distribution and mapping of trees
• Providing communities with some medicinal-relevant species, especially for those who do not yet have easy access to modern medical infrastructure

Trees are known to be valuable allies in the fight against climate change, producing oxygen and absorbing CO². In doing so, they improve air quality and help lower temperatures, reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In addition, Treedom has chosen to cultivate only native plants, born in the areas where they are planted, in order to reconstitute the original ecosystems and not to damage them further. Moreover, thanks to their ability to counter soil erosion and desertification, the new plants boost soil fertility, preserving biodiversity. In the case of Treedom, which has chosen to ban chemicals, synthetics and pesticides, trees allow the soil to become rich again in nutrients and inhabited by insects, which can defend the plants themselves from pests. In addition to these, trees have many other ways of making themselves indispensable: they provide shelter, shade and nourishment for various plant species and wild animals, while also defending livestock; they protect crops from the weather but also from extreme climatic events, which are becoming increasingly frequent; they create an undergrowth capable of intercepting rainwater and giving the soil time to absorb it gradually.

This plurality of benefits reminds us of the many advantages of using our proudly manufactured natural stone, as opposed to thin quarried stone. DISCOVER

Geopietra®, with its stones composing weathered walls, combines tradition and innovation for sustainable and exciting architectural design.