Ant Forest Funds 619 Million Trees, Treats 200,000 Hectares Across China
Updated
Updated · China Daily · Jun 22
Ant Forest Funds 619 Million Trees, Treats 200,000 Hectares Across China
1 articles · Updated · China Daily · Jun 22
Summary
More than 619 million drought-resistant trees and shrubs have been funded by Ant Forest since its 2016 launch, with 200,000 hectares of desertified land treated, the latest tally showed.
386 million of those trees were planted from 2017 under a China Green Foundation partnership spanning about 440 projects in seven provincial-level regions, including Gansu, Qinghai and Inner Mongolia.
Over 90% of the restored land lies in key zones of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, linking the app-based campaign directly to China's flagship anti-desertification effort.
More than 500 million users earn virtual energy through low-carbon actions such as walking, public transport use and paperless purchases, which Ant Forest converts into real planting.
A nationwide mobile platform, backed by satellite remote sensing, third-party inspections and forestry oversight, is designed to keep public participation and tree monitoring active year-round.
Can China's gamified tree-planting model be replicated globally, or is its success a uniquely Chinese phenomenon?
Beyond planting trees, what are the privacy implications of tracking the low-carbon actions of 500 million users?
While Ant Forest turns clicks into trees, does this digital solution address the root causes of environmental degradation?
Ant Forest’s 600 Million Trees: Digital Innovation, Mass Participation, and the Future of Eco-Engagement in China
Overview
Ant Forest, launched by Ant Group's Alipay in 2016, uses a unique gamified model to encourage over 500 million users to adopt low-carbon behaviors like cycling and managing waste. For each eco-friendly action, users earn virtual green energy points, which can be used to grow virtual trees. When enough points are collected, Ant Forest partners with NGOs to plant real trees, mainly in China's Three-North region to fight desertification. Supported by over CNY4 billion in donations, this digital platform turns individual actions into large-scale ecological restoration, making environmental protection engaging and impactful for millions.