Growth that goes further: why I’ve partnered with Just One Tree

There's something quietly profound about sitting in a treehouse in a forest in North Wales, reading two books at the same time - one about the extraordinary journey of trees across our planet's history, the other about what rest does to the human brain.

That weekend, Levison Wood's The Great Tree Story in one hand, Dr Joseph Jebelli's The Brain at Rest in the other (ok, not literally but I always take more than just one book on holiday!), surrounded by the kind of stillness that only a forest can create, something landed for me that I’ve chosen not to ignore.

In this compelling weaving of fascinating anecdotes and in-depth research, Wood contemplates the future of forests, emphasising the importance of collective action and individual responsibility in preserving these vital ecosystems. Learn more.

Trees aren't just beautiful. They're doing extraordinary work. For the planet, for our air, for our water, for biodiversity. And quietly, consistently, for us: for our mental and physical health in ways that science is only beginning to fully understand.

And yet we're losing them at a rate that should alarm all of us.

I came home from that trip knowing I wanted to DO something - because the problem is still solvable. And whilst I can sit here and feel frustrated that larger organisations and Governments aren’t doing more in the face of the climate crisis, frustration itself solves nothing.  So instead, I’m embracing a philosophy I’ve long known to be true - that small can mean mighty if enough of us play our part.

Why Just One Tree?

When I found Just One Tree, I knew I’d found a non-profit whose values resonated.

Founded by Amanda Bronkhorst, Just One Tree is a non-profit initiative removing CO2 from the atmosphere and reversing biodiversity loss through global reforestation. They plant trees where they're needed most - in areas severely affected by deforestation - to maximise the impact on reducing global warming. In the process they help provide agricultural education and sustainable incomes to local communities.

But they don't stop there. Just One Tree restores entire ecosystems, planting on land and in the oceans, and bringing environmental education into classrooms to shape the next generation of planet-conscious thinkers.

The right trees. In the right place. For people and planet.

Just One Tree felt like the right home for mortl's commitment to growth that goes further than the individual.

Join us - learn more about partnering with Just One Tree here.

What the science tells us about trees.

Here's what struck me most during that weekend in Wales.

The research on trees and human health is remarkable. Time spent in forests (what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing - or what I call, going for a walk in a forest and slowing down enough to breathe in my surroundings) has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, improve immune function and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Trees aren't passive scenery. They're active contributors to our wellbeing.

And at a planetary level, their work is even more critical. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, regulate water cycles, prevent soil erosion and create habitats for the biodiversity our ecosystems depend on. A world with fewer trees is a world less capable of sustaining the life within it, including ours.

“The science of trees and the science of human performance are, it turns out, not so far apart. Both are about creating the conditions for sustained, healthy growth. Both require the right environment, the right support and a long-term view.”

How it works with mortl.

From now on, 5% of every Intentional Growth Coaching investment goes directly to Just One Tree.

At the current investment of £1,185 per coaching programme, that means every client who invests in their growth helps plant approximately 59 trees.

Think about that for a moment. The work you do on yourself - the clarity you build, the goals you pursue, the changes you make - doesn't just change your life. It plants a small forest.

When you invest in your growth, something else grows too.

Why I believe small can mean mighty.

I'll be honest. In the face of a climate crisis where large organisations are still not doing enough, it can feel futile to act individually. What difference does one business, one partnership, one percentage make?

But I think it makes more difference than we give it credit for.

Not because the numbers alone are transformative (although they add up) but because of what individual action signals. That we're not waiting. That we believe the problem is still solvable. That the power of people to affect change, when enough of us choose to, is real.

Just One Tree was built on exactly this belief. And mortl is too.

Ready to grow (for you and for the planet)?

If you're curious about Intentional Growth Coaching and how investing in your own growth could help plant trees too, find out more here and start your application for coaching here.

And if Just One Tree's work resonates with you — whether or not you ever work with mortl — I'd encourage you to find out more about what they do at justonetree.life. The problem is still solvable. And we all have a way to help.