Small Steps, Big Leaps, and a Man of Action

OUR STORY

"I didn’t want to stand by and watch any longer!"

– Sören Brüntgens, Founder of PLANT-MY-TREE®

The Story of PLANT-MY-TREE® in Milestones

40 YEARS: FROM PARALYSIS TO FOUNDATION

1981

The Forest is Dying

The famous issue of the news magazine "Der Spiegel" dated November 15, 1981, was the catalyst for Sören Brüntgens to actively engage in environmental protection. Terms like "acid rain" and alarming images of gray, lifeless tree skeletons in Bavaria brought environmental issues to the forefront of German awareness. The core message of the time: "First the forest dies—then humanity." Disturbing and apocalyptic. But paralysis was not an option for Ruhrpott native Sören Brüntgens. Instead, action and persistence was needed. Sören’s mission had begun.

2002

The First Tree

In the early years, Sören Brüntgens’ environmental and climate protection activities primarily focused on things that could easily be implemented in everyday life: signing green energy contracts, switching early to environmentally friendly small cars, and so on. But by the turn of the millennium, awareness had grown stronger: “You have to do more yourself,” recalls Sören Brüntgens. Said and done. In 2002, he decided to dedicate himself to reforestation work. The purchase of a two-hectare plot of land in Remscheid and the planting of 2,000 trees marked the true beginning of a unique success story in climate protection.

2005

The legendary 100 euro bill

“Seeing my first trees grow was a really good feeling,” Sören Brüntgens still remembers the early days. Following the tried and tested motto “Do good and talk about it”, he began to get his personal and business environment interested in the topic of trees. With lasting success. But it was a business friend of his who really set the ball rolling in 2005 when he handed Sören a hundred euros and asked him to use the money to plant trees on his behalf. Climate protection and business. Do they go together after all?

2007

More and more new areas

Short answer. Clear answer. Yes, climate protection and the economy, that is, ecology and economy, go perfectly hand in hand. The tree plantings on our own land in Remscheid took on enormous dimensions– and the first area in the Bergisches Land soon became too small. New areas were needed to accommodate the growing momentum. More and more private individuals wanted to participate and donate. The first large companies also started inquiring. "Everything happened completely unplanned," recalls Sören Brüntgens today. "Actually, I just wanted to do something myself at the beginning. But more and more donations came in!" And suddenly, PLANT-MY-TREE® was born.

2011

100.000 trees

The first real milestone with the beginning of the new decade: Sören Brüntgens reaches the mark of 100,000 planted trees with PLANT-MY-TREE®. The media have now also become aware of the idea. The reports, in turn, lead to increasing support and wider dissemination. Companies, in particular, are now discovering the topic of "climate protection" as an important benefit for their own market positioning and are interested in individual projects related to reforestation of forest areas.

2015

First tree donation store for private individuals

The wave of digitalization in public life did not stop at a thoroughly ecological idea. To better, more efficiently, and more contemporarily handle the flood of tree donation requests, especially from private individuals, PLANT-MY-TREE® implemented the first online shop for private tree donations in 2015. This idea is causing quite a stir across Germany and takes Sören Brüntgen's idea to the next level.

2020

Establishment of the PLANT-MY-TREE® Foundation

Public awareness of climate protection concerns is growing, not least due to the media. Initiatives like "Fridays for Future" contribute to more and more people wanting to get involved actively. And at PLANT-MY-TREE®, you can get involved actively. Without bureaucratic hurdles. Without complicated procedures. Exactly according to your own ideas. Increasingly, large companies are calling and no longer just want to donate. They have bigger plans, giving their employees two or three project days off to plant trees themselves – including the management. This increasing volume is one of the reasons why the PLANT-MY-TREE® foundation was established in 2020. To secure the planted plots long-term and protect as many forest areas as possible as common goods from exploitation.

2021

100 own areas - one million trees

Ten years after breaking the barrier of 100,000 trees, PLANT-MY-TREE® reaches another milestone with one million planted trees in its climate protection mission. And it’s not just the number of trees that's fascinating. The planting projects now span over 100 different forest areas across Germany. This is truly climate protection right on your doorstep!

2022

Own forest nursery

The next logical step! In the further development of PLANT-MY-TREE®, the establishment of its own forestry nursery is necessary to meet the ever-increasing demand for high-quality seedlings and to minimize dependency on supplier quality in the long term. A forestry nursery is a specialized form of a nursery that specifically deals with forest plants. It grows trees and shrubs from special seeds that are particularly suitable for planting in the open landscape.