# Community Carbon Trees

> Pays rural Costa Rican crews to plant and tend diverse rainforest trees for 25 years, 556,000 trees so far

Source: https://treerm.org/org/community-carbon-trees · Updated 2026-11-08 · Data license: CC BY 4.0 (https://treerm.org/about#license)

## Facts

- Type: Nonprofit
- Scope: Local
- Headquarters: Platanillo, San José Province, Costa Rica
- Founded: 2010
- Website: https://www.communitycarbontrees.org
- Volunteer sign-up: https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/events
- Donate: https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/plant-a-tree
- Events calendar: https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/events
- Countries where they plant: Costa Rica
- Activity types: Reforestation (primary), Nurseries & seedlings, Education & advocacy, Carbon offset planting
- Trees on record: 556,000 (larger of latest cumulative figure and sum of annual figures; trees planted or distributed)

## About

Community Carbon Trees (ACCT) is a small nonprofit based in Platanillo, Pérez Zeledón, in Costa Rica's Southern Pacific zone. Founded by former environmental lawyer Jennifer Leigh Smith, it connects tree sponsors with paid local work crews, including a women's group of more than 44 members, who grow and plant diverse native rainforest species on family farms around San Juan de Dios and San José de Rivas and maintain them through a 25-year cycle. A sponsored tree costs 25 dollars. It also runs nursery days, planting tours and children's nature days.

## Programs

- **Tree sponsorship** — Carbon offset planting: Sponsors pay 25 dollars per tree to offset a ton of CO2; the money pays local crews to plant and care for the tree over a 25-year cycle. https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/plant-a-tree
- **Platanillo nursery and nursery days** — Nurseries & seedlings: Nursery in Platanillo where crews and visitors grow diverse native seedlings; hands-on nursery sessions are offered by arrangement. https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/events
- **Kids' Nature Day** — Education & advocacy: Monthly nature activities for local children with arts, crafts and communal lunches. https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/events

## Metrics

> Note: Sources disagree on the founding year: a 2015 Tico Times profile says 2010, GlobalGiving lists 2009, and the organization's own Who We Are page refers to 17 years of work as of 2026; 2010 is used here. The 556,000 trees is a lifetime total with no published annual breakdown.

| Metric | Year | Value | Cumulative | Program | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---:|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per tree (USD) | 2026 | 25 | no (that year) | organization-wide | Self-reported | [source](https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/where-your-money-goes) Where Your Money Goes page: 'Sponsor a 25 dollar tree and offset one ton of carbon dioxide' |
| Trees planted | 2026 | 556,000 | yes (to date) | organization-wide | Self-reported | [source](https://www.communitycarbontrees.org/who-we-are) Who We Are page, Jennifer Leigh Smith section: 'plant more than 556,000 trees' over 17 years |

Confidence: self-reported is the organization's own published figure; independently verified means a third party confirmed it; estimated means TreeRM derived it and the note says how.

## Links

- x: https://twitter.com/ACCTrees/
- facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Community-Carbon-Trees-Costa-Rica/107375142645428
- youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CCTCostaRica

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