GBCL’s pay and plant initiative to mitigate climate change Yangyel Lhaden A few months ago, founder of Amulet Luxury Travel Bhutan, Tshering Tashi, read an article about a “Pay and Plant” initiative of Green Bhutan Corporation Limited (GBCL) in Bhutan Airline’s in-flight magazine. He was intrigued and interested by the initiative which allows tourists to pay and plant a tree sapling while in the country. “The article said a full-grown tree could provide oxygen to four people,” Tshering Tashi said.
“ This meant if an individual planted a sapling it could provide oxygen to three other people.” GBCL started the initiative last year as an innovative ecotourism programme that involves tourists in tree planting to promote climate change mitigation and environmental conservation. By merging tourism with ecological responsibility, the initiative aims to boost Bhutan’s reputation as a leader in sustainability and explore private financing for afforestation initiatives.
Since the programme’s inception over 100 tourists have paid and planted trees. The tourist pays a certain amount of money per sapling and they are provided with geo-coordinates to monitor their sapling online from anywhere. The areas of plantation fall under purview of GBCL ensuring the saplings are taken care of to grow into a full-grown tree.
Tshering Tashi said that it was a perfect opportunity to engage tourists with more activities such as tree plantation programmes which had an overarching impact in mitigating climate change and limiting carbon footprints left by tourists. His first guests to participate in the Pay and Plant programme, the Schmettows, a family of seven from Germany planted saplings in Bumthang on August 7. “I am going to include the programme in my guests’ itinerary henceforth,” Tshering Tashi said.
Johanne Von Schmettow, the father, is a German leadership advisor, and his daughter Victoria an environmental scientist trained in Australia. Both expressed their gratitude and praised the initiative. “We really enjoyed being part of the local tree-planting exercise,” Johanne Von Schmettow said.
“We believe that the Gross National Happiness paradigm—for people and planet—should be woven into every tourist programme. Each guest of the country should leave as an ambassador for this holistic, sustainable thinking.” Tshering Tashi said that his guests were interested as it cleared their carbon footprints while travelling and staying in Bhutan.
“The initiative aims to offset carbon, mitigate climate change, and inspire individuals to plant trees, as trees have significant potential to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” GBCL’s Head of the Nursery Plantation and Floriculture Section, Lenmith Lepcha, said. “While tourists leave a carbon footprint by traveling here, even planting a single tree can contribute to climate mitigation in its own way.” Chief Executive Officer of GBCL, Karma Jigme Temphel, added that the initiative was also meant to educate and raise awareness about the lasting impacts of tree planting.
“The initiative was designed not just for tourists but for interested Bhutanese as well, with planting sites identified in popular tourist destinations across Bhutan.” The pay and plant plantation sites are in Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, Chukha, Bumthang, and Trashigang..
