This page explains common questions on the ecosystem projects of SeaTrees.  For questions on products and orders, please Contact Us directly.

Blue Carbon is carbon stored by coastal and marine ecosystems. Blue Carbon ecosystems can be much more effective at storing carbon per unit area than any ecosystem on land.  These ecosystems also provide essential habitat for plants and animals and can support sustainable jobs. Blue carbon ecosystems generally are biodiversity hotspots.

The best examples of blue carbon ecosystems are mangrove forests, kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs.  Additionally, SeaTrees defines the Ridge-to-Reef ecosystem as blue carbon, because the health of a terrestrial watershed connected to the ocean directly affects the health of the adjacent coastal ocean.

SeaTrees is a program of Sustainable Surf, a 501c3 nonprofit based in California.  All revenue, expenses, and employees are part of Sustainable Surf’s normal operations as a nonprofit.

SeaTrees Projects are operated by SeaTrees Project Partners who develop projects around the world to protect and restore coastal ecosystems. These partners are nonprofit organizations in the local community of each project. They have the expertise to restore their local ecosystem and relationships with the local community and government to ensure that the project is community-led and provides maximum benefit to the people who live there. 

SeaTrees supports blue carbon ecosystem restoration projects that have been developed by local communities with government approval.  These projects restore coastal biodiversity, sequester CO2, and provide jobs and other benefits to the local communities.

SeaTrees identifies these projects and evaluates them for quality and effectiveness, and regularly visits the projects to ensure successful operation and evaluation.  We also collect images, videos, and stories from the projects and the local community. 

Each SeaTrees project tracks the environmental benefits created by SeaTrees funding.  Such as the number of trees planted, sq-ft of kelp forest restored, tons of carbon sequestered, etc…  These benefits are tracked in our database and retired on behalf of our donors.

SeaTrees receives funding from charitable grants and donations, as a traditional nonprofit program of Sustainable Surf.

SeaTrees also receives funding from our community of supporting people and brands, who donate to plant SeaTrees, such as one mangrove tree or a sq-ft of kelp forest, or purchase SeaTrees Tokens.  The SeaTrees planted by these donations are permanently retired on behalf of the donors.

SeaTrees also receives funding from the sales of on-mission physical products, produced in collaboration with artist partners. These products provide education about protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems, inspire action by our community, and directly fund the creation of environmental benefits. 

The exact timing of when a mangrove tree is planted, or kelp forest is restored varies depending on the project.  For example, mangrove planting on Biak Island, Indonesia, occurs year-round, while kelp reforestation off Palos Verdes, California, occurs during the summer months when the ocean is calm. 

SeaTrees tracks the total ecosystem benefits created by SeaTrees Projects, and compares each total against the total donations made by our community. We strive to maintain a surplus at all times, so it is likely that SeaTrees have already been planted when a donation is made.  

However there may be times when demand exceeds supply, which is why SeaTrees is constantly evaluating and investing in new projects around the world. 

We believe SeaTrees has the potential to scale to create ocean positive impact around the world. Both for people and the planet.  

SeaTrees measures the benefits of projects through the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These goals are defined in 17 major categories of sustainable development, with targets and indicators.  It’s the best comprehensive description of the global challenges we face today, and of the targets and indicators of success needed to solve these problems by 2030.

Specific details about the SDG benefits created by each project can be found on our SDG Impact page.

SeaTrees ecosystem restoration is a complex process that eventually produces a stable, resilient, diverse, and thriving ecosystem. Our projects use scientific best practices and monitoring techniques designed for each SeaTrees ecosystem type. Not every individual tree planted will survive through maturity, but every tree is needed to ensure the ultimate success of the restoration.