In 2009 Browns the Diamond Store launched their Plum Tree Project, a project aimed at providing fruit bearing trees to low-income communities. “Every time one of our clients purchases an item of jewellery from our Private Collection we will purchase and plant a tree on their behalf,” explained Larry Brown, Designer and Director of Browns the Diamond Store.

Since its inception, the Plum Tree Project has planted 1 000 trees across South Africa with Food & Trees for Africa’s (FTFA) Trees for Homes programme, which spreads awareness of the need to conserve, plant, and maintain trees for the vital role they play in our lives, and their importance in addressing climate change. “We realise the importance of finding a balance between our business interests and the obligations we owe to the environment, our workers and our community”, continued Larry

In addition to improving the environments in which residents live, these 1 000 Browns’ trees, along with the 500 trees scheduled to be planted over the next month, will sequestrate a conservative estimate of 4 005 tons of carbon dioxide, thus mitigating climate change as well. In addition, 30 residents of the beneficiary communities will have received training and stipends as the Trees for Homes’ community educators to go door to door to spread climate change and greening awareness

The importance of trees and greening will thus reach over 1 500 community members, greatly contributing to The United Nations General Assembly declared International Year of Forests in 2011, which aims to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. This Browns initiative will result in an estimated 37.5 hectares of urban forest planted.

100 Browns trees were distributed on 25 August at Zoe’s Skills Training Academy, corner Eindhoven and Rhine Road, Delft in the Western Cape

Another 300 residents will receive trees on 1 September  in Glen Ridge, Soweto, and 100 trees will be distributed on 3 September near Durban in KwaZulu Natal in celebration of Arbor Month. Arbor Month is tree planting time and aims to motivate individuals, schools, businesses and communities to plant, sponsor and look after our wonderful and diverse natural tree heritage

For more information or to attend any of the Browns Trees for Homes distribution events, please contact Katja Janicke on 011 656 9802/3 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it