Sustainable forest management is essential to biodiversity conservation. The 42,000-tree project in Southeast Madagascar focused on reversing decades of forest destruction. The forest is home to critically endangered lemurs and other wildlife species found nowhere else on earth. Tree planting efforts were also intended to improve resiliency for the forest and neighboring communities.

The Arbor Day Foundation estimates[*] that over the next 40 years, the project will result in:

· 10,562 metric tons of net carbon dioxide sequestered (the equivalent to 2,296 fewer cars on the road)
· 125 tons of air pollution removed (the equivalent to enough oxygen for 10,500 people)
· 2,627,176 gallons avoided of water runoff (the equivalent to 29,854 people with cleaner water)

“The impact of this partnership has allowed us to make significant strides in one of the most critical forestlands for biodiversity, with many species depending on these trees for survival,” said Katie Loos, Chief Operating Officer of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Mary Kay has continued to demonstrate their dedicated support towards strengthening our planet’s forests of greatest need. Protecting and preserving our most vulnerable species is essential to solving the current biodiversity crisis, and we are proud to work with partners who share this value.”

Just last month, Mary Kay announced the completion of a 69-acre reforestation project to revitalize Florida’s Econfina Creek Wildlife Management Area in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. Working alongside the Northwest Florida Water Management District, the Foundation and Mary Kay partnered to plant 43,000 longleaf pine that will help protect critical water resources in Bay County Florida. Key project environmental and biodiversity benefits included: restoring and preserving the primary source of drinking water for Bay County, Florida; replanting native tree species to return this area to its natural state; and improving the habitat for area wildlife including deer, bobwhite quail, Sherman’s fox squirrels, and gopher tortoises.

Earlier this year, Mary Kay also released a report detailing its long-standing partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. Together, Mary Kay Inc. and the Foundation have planted over 1.2 million trees across the globe, making a measurable impact on vital forest ecosystems.

To read more about Mary Kay’s commitment to sustainability, visit marykayglobal.com/sustainability and download Mary Kay’s global sustainability strategy: Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.

[*] Impact estimates made using i-Tree, a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban and rural forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools.