{"data":{"type":"company_profile","id":28564,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:28564","attributes":{"canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree","generated_at":"2026-06-19T17:16:56Z","updated_at":"2026-06-19T05:00:10Z","entity_ids":{"company":"wefunder:company:28564","slug":"wefunder:company_slug:worldtree"},"profile_visibility":{"owner_published":true,"public_search_results":true,"site_search_listed":true,"privacy_mode":"promote","invite_only":false},"provenance":{"source":"wefunder_public_company_profile","as_of":"2026-06-19T17:16:56Z","claims":{"total_amount_raised":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#amount_raised","last_verified_at":"2026-06-19T05:00:10Z","as_of":"2026-06-19T17:16:56Z","confidence":"high"},"total_investors":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#number_of_investors","last_verified_at":"2026-06-19T05:00:10Z","as_of":"2026-06-19T17:16:56Z","confidence":"high"},"active_raise_states":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil)","last_verified_at":"2025-02-06T01:17:55Z","as_of":"2026-06-19T17:16:56Z","confidence":"high"},"latest_fundraise_state":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil).order(funding_started_at)","last_verified_at":"2025-02-06T01:17:55Z","as_of":"2026-06-19T17:16:56Z","confidence":"medium"}}},"company":{"id":28564,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:28564","slug":"worldtree","name":"World Tree","tagline":"Eco-timber that offsets your carbon footprint","elevator_pitch":"World Tree is a new kind of company, focused on elevating, educating, and innovating for our planet. World Tree implements regenerative agroforestry projects; simultaneously reversing climate change and making significant economic impacts for small farmers and investors. By leveraging the dynamic properties of World Tree’s most beloved renewable resource, the Empress Splendor tree (non-invasive Paulownia varieties), World Tree provides opportunity and support to its partners and our planet.","story":"We are a for-profit-for-good company that is set to revolutionize the impact investment and agroforestry landscape. Female-founded and eco-focused, we plant fast-growing trees on managed farmland in North and Latin America. We have planted 6,000 acres with over 300 farmers in 5 countries – and like our trees, we just keep growing!The world needs more trees. Protecting our forests, restoring the soil and drawing down carbon are critical for the future of life on earth. But, did you know that trees are also an interesting investment opportunity?Large scale investors such as pension funds have put billions into timber over the last 30 years. Why? Because for them timber is a way to diversify their portfolios with an asset that is not tightly bound to the stock markets.\u0026nbsp;\"Timber is the only low-risk, high-return asset class in existence. People are not familiar with it.\" -Jeremy Grantham, Billionaire Timber InvestorOur product is older than human civilization: wood. But this resource we’ve depended on for millennia is in trouble. Our natural forests have taken thousands of years to grow and flourish and are being cut down at an unsustainable rate. This includes irreplaceable native temperate, tropical and boreal forests, and the earth’s largest terrestrial carbon sinks.With market demand expected to quadruple in 2050, this trajectory is only likely to get worse. Climate change is only making things worse, and many of our most loved trees are close to extinction. This includes cedar, redwood, birch and ash.We need more trees, we need them fast, and we need to plant them in a way that is both economically and environmentally beneficial.“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren BuffetMeet the\u0026nbsp;Empress Splendor! An extremely fast-growing hardwood tree. Reaching maturity in around 10 years, the Empress is one of the fastest growing trees in the world.She’s a natural beauty (non-GMO), a real fighter (fire resistant and grows back after harvest), and a good neighbor (replenishes soil and non-invasive). To top it off, she sequesters massive amounts of carbon using a super-powerful form of photosynthesis.In the images above note the 10 year growth journey of the Empress Splendor.We believe that to really make a difference in reversing climate change it is important to align economic and environmental incentives.This is where your\u0026nbsp;participation with World Tree and its farmers can make a difference.\u0026nbsp;Every year, World Tree brings in a group of investors and plants Empress trees on their behalf with vetted farmers. The farmers provide the land and labor to grow the trees, we provide the training and management expertise, and investors provide the funding. Every $4,000 invested funds one acre of these incredible trees.Once the trees reach maturity (8-12 years), we harvest the trees and sell the lumber. We then distribute 25% of the profits to our valued investors, 50% to the diligent farmers who manage the trees, and we retain the remaining 25%.Empress lumber is a beautiful blonde, straight-grained hardwood. Stronger than balsa and almost as light, Empress is known as the \"aluminum of lumber\" due to its high strength-to-weight ratio.It is water and rot resistant, does not warp and takes a stain easily.This versatile wood can be used for furniture, window blinds, veneers, musical instruments, and surfboards and other aquatic applications. Architects have even begun using it in green buildings as a finishing wood due to its high insulating qualities.We are targeting a $180B North American market for high-end products with with long-life spans to maximize the time the carbon is stored.Our customer pipeline includes known-brand guitar manufacturers, bed builders, interior designers and boat builders.Our vision is to establish Empress as the premier choice for lightweight, durable, and environmentally sustainable wood. Our strategy for market expansion revolves around cultivating relationships with renowned designers and architects who create visually captivating, magazine-worthy projects. Simultaneously, we seek to forge strategic partnerships with smaller manufacturers in the industry.Rather than waiting for our Eco-Tree farms to reach maturity, we've taken a proactive approach to bolstering our supply by sourcing wood from independent tree farms. This strategy ensures a robust and consistent supply of Empress wood for our clients.At the helm of our Lumber Division is Jack Matson, who has over three decades of experience in the industry, having successfully marketed lumber in more than 26 countries. Under his leadership, we've designed a sales process that includes an extensive testing and sampling phase, which has yielded remarkable findings:A leading bed manufacturer confirmed the exceptional fire resistance of Empress wood.A prominent furniture manufacturer discovered that the wood's lightweight nature translates into substantial annual savings on shipping costs.A renowned guitar maker has attested to Empress wood's outstanding acoustic properties.Expert boat builders found that Empress wood surpasses all others in terms of water resistance, enhancing the durability of their products.As our customer orders grow, we are collecting invaluable data regarding our price positioning. To date, our average sales price is a little higher than our projected $5.89/bf, reflecting the competitive advantage of our product in the market.One of our notable achievements includes the successful harvesting of Empress wood from the farm of former President Jimmy Carter in Georgia. This exceptional wood was used to craft a diverse range of musical instruments and was selected by Voila! Creative Studios for a striking installation at the SEC building in New York.Perhaps the most impressive property of the Empress Splendor is its ability to regenerate.After harvest, the tree regenerates from the stump – without replanting. This ability of the tree to replace itself means that the Empress can produce 4 harvests of lumber, in the time it takes cedar to produce one.Empress is a truly sustainable, self-renewing source of timber for generations to come.How much money can you make? Returns depend on the volume and quality of lumber produced and we expect our farms to produce a mix of low, medium, and high-grade lumber. Currently World Tree is selling lumber for an average price of $5.89/bf. The graph above shows the potential return on a\u0026nbsp;$4,000 investment\u0026nbsp;based on tree survival factoring in our current projections of 200 board feet per tree and a net selling price of $4.00/BF.We target 75% survival and if we outperform our targets, it could produce investor returns of $20k per acre or more.\u0026nbsp; These numbers include the anticipated costs of managing the farms and harvesting the lumber. However, these are only projections and actual results may vary.\u0026nbsp;Any profits will be distributed when the trees mature and are harvested in 8-12 years.Crop failure is a significant risk factor. For instance, a farm may fail due to severe weather or because a farmer is unable to care for the trees. Here are some of the things we do to mitigate this risk:1) Trees are planted across dozens of farms, many thousands of miles apart. Investors share in any profits from all the farms in this vintage. If anything should happen to one stand of trees, it does not have a significant impact on the overall return.2) The trees are most vulnerable in the first two years. If farmers experience loss during this initial period, we provide replacement trees in order to ensure crops reach their full profitability potential.3) World Tree visits the farms, trains the farmers and monitors and tracks the entire program. All investments carry uncertainty, and we advise you to read our Offering Statement on Form C in its entirety so you can fully understand both the potential risks and rewards with this investment.Biodiversity, soil health and ecosystem resilience – these are at the heart of World Tree’s mission. To achieve these goals, we focus on the use of regenerative agriculture on our tree farms. In partnership with the Soil Health Academy, we train our farmers in regenerative techniques such as low-till, reduced chemicals, use of cover-crops and intercropping. Empress trees can be planted with food crops such as corn, plantains,\u0026nbsp;melons, and watermelons. Some of our farmers graze their cattle among the trees, while others have engaged in beekeeping. This allows growers to generate multiple income streams on a diverse farming system that strengthens the local environment. Planting trees is one of the most effective methods to offset your carbon footprint. Empress trees, due to their fast growth rate, are carbon eating machines. They absorb so much carbon that just one acre of trees planted will offset your carbon footprint for the next decade.The benefits don’t stop with carbon:The leaves of Empress trees absorb nitrogen and provide nutrient-rich organic matter that restores the soil.The flowers are high in nectar and pollen and support pollinators such as bees.The trees provide much-needed shade to other crops and cattle, to produce vibrant, healthy and diverse farming systems. Investors should note that they are investing in a subsidiary called World Tree USA, LLC.\u0026nbsp;From time to time World Tree USA, LLC may lend funds to it's parent company World Tree Technologies, Inc.\u0026nbsp;Investors in this offering will not be unitholders in the parent company, and will have little to no say in it's operation or funding.\u0026nbsp;As a parent company, World Tree Technologies, Inc will have broad discretion in the use of funds of it's subsidiary, as outlined in the Operating Agreement.\u0026nbsp;For those reasons, investing in a subsidiary like World Tree USA, LLC may be considered riskier than similar investments in a parent company.By investing in the Eco-Tree Program, you're not just a supporter of environmental regeneration - you have become a part of the solution. Together, we can begin to protect natural ecosystems, preserve the biodiversity of the land, and introduce a sustainable hardwood lumber alternative to safeguard our planet's forests.We invite you to join our 2023 vintage of investors and farmers.As Kingscrowd aptly puts it,\u0026nbsp;\"It's okay to be a tree hugger. It's even better to make a profit while you're doing it.\"","location":"Manhattan Beach, CA","website":"https://www.worldtree.eco/","total_amount_raised":3850677,"total_investors":981,"is_funded":true,"is_active":true,"quality_score":4,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/worldtree","https://www.worldtree.eco/"]},"media":{"share_image_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/28564/xxl_blob.jpg","logo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/logo/28564/large_blob.png","header_media_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/28564/standard_blob.jpg","cover_photo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/28564/standard_blob.jpg","profile_video_url":"https://wefunder.wistia.com/medias/lk5uz4wt7s"},"links":{"company_url":"https://www.worldtree.eco/","twitter_url":"https://twitter.com/WorldTreeEco","facebook_url":"https://www.facebook.com/WorldTreeEco/","instagram_url":"https://www.instagram.com/worldtree.eco/","youtube_url":"https://youtube.com/@WorldTree"},"highlights":[],"quick_facts":[{"index":1,"claim_id":"claim-fact-1","value":"Largest grower of Empress trees in North and Latin America"},{"index":2,"claim_id":"claim-fact-2","value":"Revenue sharing model with investors, with targeted 4x return"},{"index":3,"claim_id":"claim-fact-3","value":"6,000 acres of our super-fast growing trees already planted"},{"index":4,"claim_id":"claim-fact-4","value":"Innovative new wood, Empress Splendor, known as the 'aluminum of lumber’"},{"index":5,"claim_id":"claim-fact-5","value":"Awarded 2023 Impact Crowdfunder of the year (SuperCrowd)"},{"index":6,"claim_id":"claim-fact-6","value":"A “deal to watch” according to Kingscrowd"},{"index":7,"claim_id":"claim-fact-7","value":"Addresses 7 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals"}],"team":[{"id":881290,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:881290","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:1578211","role":"founder","name":"Doug Willmore","title":"Chief Executive Officer","bio":"CEO for 4 years, leading our expansion of regenerative farming and biodiversity focused projects. 25+ years of leadership in public and private sectors, has a track record of successful exits and has managed 4,000+ employees, $800M in annual revenues.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/881290/square_cropped_MicrosoftTeams-image__10_.jpg?1696134723","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/dougwillmore","linkedin_url":"https://linkedin.com/in/doug-willmore/","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/dougwillmore"]},{"id":752770,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:752770","role":"employee","name":"Dr Cathy Key","title":"President \u0026 Chief Business Development Officer","bio":"Creator of the Eco-Tree Program, she has grown the program from 0 to over 300 farms during her 8 years with World Tree. A PhD in Anthropology, she excels in cooperative business models for people and nature.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/752770/square_cropped_World_Tree_81.jpg?1696255083","linkedin_url":"https://linkedin.com/in/cathy-key-worldtree/","related_urls":[]},{"id":3932592,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:3932592","role":"employee","name":"Drake Swezey","title":"Chief Operating Officer","bio":"An operations expert, Drake fosters integrity in our sustainable growth. He blends farming and business acumen, emphasizing relationships. An outdoors enthusiast he advocates for regenerative agroforestry, with a desire to make a lasting positive impact.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/3932592/square_blob.jpg?1696134723","linkedin_url":"linkedin.com/in/drakeswezey","related_urls":[]},{"id":2523025,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:2523025","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:175011","role":"employee","name":"Wendy Burton","title":"Founder \u0026 Co-Chair of World Tree","bio":"The visionary founder of World Tree and Co-Creator of The Eco-Tree Program that fell in love with a tree. Wendy envisions a world where people collaborate for the good of the planet and thrive together - not as individuals.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/2523025/square_cropped_WendySeedlings.jpg?1696134723","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/wendyburton","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/wendyburton"]},{"id":881308,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:881308","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:692958","role":"employee","name":"Deborah Cullen","title":"Chief Financial Officer \u0026 CAO","bio":"Deborah has more than 30 years of experience as a finance executive and as an accounting and audit professional. She has managed annual budgets exceeding $500M.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/881308/square_cropped_deb-cullen.jpg?1696255097","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/deborahcullen","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/deborahcullen"]},{"id":752777,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:752777","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:298798","role":"employee","name":"Cultivo Paulownia","title":"Manager of Latin America ","bio":"Mariana Alfaro has 8 years experience growing Empress Trees and oversees the Costa Rica operations. She has met every single one of the 50+ Costa Rican farmers our program, and was instrumental in bringing World Tree's programs to Guatemala and Mexico.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/752777/square_cropped_World_Tree_135.jpg?1695240524","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/cultivo.paulownia","linkedin_url":"https://linkedin.com/in/mariana-alfaro-877467a7/","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/cultivo.paulownia"]},{"id":1929445,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:1929445","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:1511560","role":"employee","name":"John Jack Matson","title":"Director of Lumber","bio":"Pioneered the US Paulownia market, securing manufacturer agreements for sustainable building and product development. With 30+ years in hardwood lumber, he's a 9th-Gen lumberman who's driven $500M+ in sales and innovated hardwood products.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/1929445/square_cropped_Matson-6575.jpg?1696255374","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/john.jack.matson","linkedin_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-matson-9ba23170/","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/john.jack.matson"]}],"featured_investors":[],"investor_memos":[],"tab_counts":{"posts":41,"ask_questions":295,"featured_investors":0,"faq_entries":5},"active_fundraises":[{"id":48555,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:48555","state":"successful","offering_type":"506(b)","funding_type":"note","structure":"ttw","security_type":"equity","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":true,"min_purchase":900,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50000.0},{"id":84454,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:84454","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"ttw","security_type":"","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":true,"min_purchase":900,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50000.0,"minimum_target":"100000.25","maximum_target":"500000.0","funding_started_at":"2023-10-19T22:30:03Z"},{"id":84453,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:84453","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"equity","security_type":"equity","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":900,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50000.0,"minimum_target":"100000.25","maximum_target":"500000.0","funding_started_at":"2023-10-19T22:30:01Z","funding_closed_at":"2023-12-09T05:02:08Z","auto_close_at":"2023-12-09T04:59:59Z"},{"id":60963,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:60963","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"custom","security_type":"custom","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":1000,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":250000.0,"funding_started_at":"2022-05-10T21:52:20Z","funding_closed_at":"2022-08-01T04:02:05Z","auto_close_at":"2022-08-01T03:59:59Z"},{"id":60964,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:60964","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"ttw","security_type":"custom","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":true,"min_purchase":1000,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50000.0,"funding_started_at":"2022-04-21T21:51:03Z"},{"id":48554,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:48554","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"equity","security_type":"equity","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":900,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":250000.0,"funding_started_at":"2021-08-13T00:26:01Z","funding_closed_at":"2021-12-23T05:01:51Z","auto_close_at":"2021-12-23T04:59:59Z"},{"id":28601,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:28601","state":"successful","offering_type":"RegA+","funding_type":"note","structure":"custom","security_type":"custom","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":3000,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":250000.0,"funding_started_at":"2019-10-12T00:56:19Z","funding_closed_at":"2020-08-15T05:01:21Z","auto_close_at":"2020-08-15T03:59:59Z"},{"id":19821,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:19821","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"custom","security_type":"custom","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":1000,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":135000.0,"minimum_target":"120000.0","funding_started_at":"2018-09-21T01:39:27Z","funding_closed_at":"2019-04-04T04:01:41Z","auto_close_at":"2019-04-04T03:59:59Z"}],"latest_fundraise":{"id":48555,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:48555","state":"successful","offering_type":"506(b)","structure":"ttw","testing_the_waters":true,"can_invest_now":false,"funding_started_at":null,"funding_closed_at":null,"terms":{"eb":null,"nb":"$22.8M","txt":"pre-money valuation"}},"recent_posts":[{"id":148224,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:148224","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"The time is now - limited Early Bird Terms available","preview":"We would like to thank everyone who has taken Eco-Tree Action since we re-emerged on\u0026nbsp;Wefunder. We are overjoyed with gratitude that other like-minded changemakers not only see\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;opportunity to prosper for our planet but are\u0026nbsp;taking action into their own hands. Our impact, together, will\u0026nbsp;drawdown\u0026nbsp;thousands of\u0026nbsp;tons of carbon from our atmosphere.\u0026nbsp;Even with this incredible feat, we\u0026nbsp;know we’re not done yet, we know we have more work to do, and we are j...","published_at":"2021-08-31T19:48:58Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/148224","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/148224"},{"id":146014,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:146014","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"We are back and taking Eco-Tree Action!","preview":"Welcome (back) pioneers, forward\u0026nbsp;thinkers,\u0026nbsp;and change makers - World Tree is back on\u0026nbsp;Wefunder\u0026nbsp;and we’re leading the charge on climate action, alongside you!\u0026nbsp;We see the smoke. We feel the heat. We know the stats. We are no\u0026nbsp;longer\u0026nbsp;sitting idly. We\u0026nbsp;are\u0026nbsp;taking action\u0026nbsp;against the degradation of our planet and innovating new ways to drawdown carbon from our atmosphere, replenish the soil we stand\u0026nbsp;on,\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;create\u0026nbsp;wealth in a way th...","published_at":"2021-08-23T15:25:23Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/146014","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/146014"},{"id":139478,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:139478","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Join us for a LIVE World Tree Update","preview":"Wed 9 December, 1-3pm PSTWorld Tree is rapidly growing, just like the Empress\u0026nbsp;tree. Thanks to you, \u0026nbsp;we have planted\u0026nbsp;nearly 6,000 acres of trees this year - and we are still growing!We feel strongly it is time to bring everyone involved together to celebrate how far we have come. For the first time, we are hosting an event for all our investors and farmers and we would love for you to join us.We have some important announcements to share and some very special people to acknowled...","published_at":"2020-12-02T20:45:27Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/139478","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/139478"},{"id":136382,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:136382","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"The end of World Tree’s Wefunder campaign is just the beginning to a much larger story","preview":"Our Wefunder campaign closes on Friday, August 14 at 11:59 EST.Since launching the USA Eco-Tree Program in 2018, World Tree has raised more than $3 million and planted 3,000 acres of Empress Spendor trees (a non-invasive variety of Paulownia)\u0026nbsp;in 5 countries. We are on track to more than double in\u0026nbsp;size by the end of the\u0026nbsp;year, drawing down millions of tons of carbon,\u0026nbsp;revitalizing farming communities and generating a renewable source of hardwood. While we are growing rapidly,...","published_at":"2020-08-12T18:13:21Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/136382","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/136382"},{"id":136014,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:136014","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"With immense gratitude","preview":"We’d like to thank everyone who has made World Tree the fourth most funded company on Wefunder and the first, female-founded company to ever raise more than $2 million on the platform.Having succeeded in reaching our target we are now closing our Wefunder campaign. If you want to invest via Wefunder, you have until August 14th to do so.\u0026nbsp;August 14 is the last day we will be accepting investments.For those who have already invested, we’d like to thank you for becoming part of the World Tre...","published_at":"2020-08-04T23:37:27Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/136014","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/136014"},{"id":134882,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:134882","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Going, Going..... Gone?","preview":"A huge ‘thank you’ to all those long-term planners who have invested in the last ten days. We are now within striking distance of raising $1M by the end of June!With only days left on the ‘early bird’ price, now is the time to act. As Warren Buffet once said about long-term planning, “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”Someone else who is sitting in the shade today is the 39th President of the United States. THE PRESIDENT AND PAULOWNIAFifteen...","published_at":"2020-06-26T23:45:56Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/134882","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/134882"},{"id":134610,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:134610","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Is Global Warming a Gift?","preview":"“Is global warming happening to us or for us? If it’s happening to you, you are the victim and disempowered. Or you can think about it happening for us. Global warming is feedback. It’s actually a gift.”Paul Hawken, author of Drawdown, spoke at a World Tree event in Atlanta\u0026nbsp;last fall. This quote from him is a good reminder that all the difficulties we are dealing with are feedback. They are a message from Mother Earth who is telling us loud and clear: “Get up, get involved and do somethi...","published_at":"2020-06-15T23:28:12Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/134610","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/134610"},{"id":134357,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:134357","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Invest in World Tree for $1,250 - help us reach the Magic Million","preview":"Have you been thinking about investing in World Tree, but not sure if you have the budget for a full acre? Or perhaps you have already invested and are thinking about topping up. The financial hardships of COVID have made it difficult for some people to stretch to a full acre investment. In addition, we have some Canadian friends who want to invest but the exchange rate is not in their favor. With this in mind, we have temporarily reduced the minimum investment to $1,250 USD which will fund h...","published_at":"2020-06-09T23:26:16Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/134357","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/134357"},{"id":133718,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:133718","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"For Profit for Good","preview":"We have just 64 acres left at the early bird rate.Last week we sent a message\u0026nbsp;letting you know there were 92 acres remaining at the “early bird” investor rate of $2,500. We now have just 64 acres left. After that, you will still be able to invest but the price\u0026nbsp;will increase to $3,000 to fund one acre.Some people think World Tree is a non-profit. We are not. We are a for-profit-for-good company that is out to make a profound impact on our planet. We believe that the pathway to reduci...","published_at":"2020-05-15T23:15:52Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/133718","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/133718"},{"id":133223,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:133223","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"92 Early Bird Acres and Counting","preview":"We have 92 acres left before our early bird pricing comes to an end. Currently you can invest for $2,500 which funds one\u0026nbsp;acre. That will increase to $3,000 once all our 'early bird acres' are funded, which we are hoping and expecting\u0026nbsp;will happen soon.Thank you to everyone who has invested in our campaign. So far, between our WeFunder investors and our earlier Reg D round, we have raised enough money to plant approximately 900 acres. These trees are already being planted by our hard-...","published_at":"2020-05-05T22:14:51Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/133223","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/133223"},{"id":133094,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:133094","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"A Movement's Milestone - Earth Day at 50","preview":"Hello! I hope that everyone is staying healthy and safe during these strange times.This is a very special week. Fifty years ago, on April 22nd, a group of American activists held the very first Earth Day. In those days, the big environmental topic was pollution, and Senator Gaylord Nelson began Earth day to raise awareness and inspire people to action.Fifty years later, Earth Day has become a global celebration and environmental issues are just as critical now as they were then. In fact, the ...","published_at":"2020-04-21T02:40:51Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/133094","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/133094"},{"id":133000,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:133000","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Raising Arizona (and New Jersey)","preview":"I am excited to share that as of today we are now able to accept investments from two new states: both Arizona and New Jersey!\u0026nbsp;Thank you to all our friends in those places who have been patiently waiting to invest.I also want to let you know that we’re diligently working on getting the remaining States access as well. We will share more news on that soon.So for those of you from Arizona and New Jersey that have been waiting to participate in this Eco-Tree revolution, now is the time!Read...","published_at":"2020-04-16T21:58:14Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/133000","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/133000"},{"id":132625,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:132625","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Webinar - The Future is Coming","preview":"Hello everyone,I hope you are all\u0026nbsp;staying safe and staying healthy.For those of you that were not able to attend last week's webinar, I\u0026nbsp;am posting the recorded video\u0026nbsp;here for your convenience:Join the World Tree team for a comprehensive conversation about the EcoTree Program, farming, investing, and how we are responding to the COVID-19 crisis. The facts are laid out, and many questions get answered about how World Tree operates and the many benefits to farmers, investors, and ...","published_at":"2020-04-07T18:52:44Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/132625","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/132625"},{"id":132150,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:132150","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"There's Still Time","preview":"You may have noticed that today (March 31) is the closing date of our current offering (under Regulation A+). Don’t panic - we have already made plans to extend our offering into the Summer.The company filed, on March 12, 2020, an amended offering circular with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to extend the closing date of this offering to June 30, 2020.\u0026nbsp;You may view that amended offering circular here:\u0026nbsp;https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1687316/000147793220001300/w...","published_at":"2020-03-31T21:38:40Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/132150","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/132150"},{"id":131986,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:131986","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"World Tree Meet-Up - Trees, Farmers and Investing in Turbulent Times","preview":"World Tree Meet-Up with COO\u0026nbsp;Dr. Cathy KeyFriday 3 April, 12 noon PSTRegister here:\u0026nbsp;https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ihj8CnO2R861UsPmrWGICQPlease join the World Tree team for a conversation about the EcoTree Program, farming, investing and how we are responding to the COVID-19 crisis.The world is scary right now, we have friends and family members who are sick, the markets are crashing, and everything feels risky and uncertain. This is the challenge of our times and the only thing...","published_at":"2020-03-27T23:01:46Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/131986","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/131986"},{"id":130156,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:130156","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Solidarity in Separation - Planting Trees in these Uncertain Times","preview":"The COVID-19 pandemic is being felt by everyone: I don’t mean just your neck of the woods, your sports team, state or even country….. EVERYONE! Our world is facing a crisis and we’re living it all at once. I am coming across videos or posts on social media from all corners of the world, reminding me that we are in this together.During the scariest of moments, when panic finds it’s way of seeping in, we also see some of the most beautiful events take place. The silence in the streets has inspi...","published_at":"2020-03-20T23:19:13Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/130156","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/130156"},{"id":129658,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:129658","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"The New Faces of World Tree","preview":"The last six months have been a time of change and expansion. I have some exciting news to share with you with regards to the company, our team, what we have accomplished since the last update, including what is ahead. Introducing:Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Doug WillmoreWe are delighted to announce that World Tree has hired a new CEO, Doug Willmore. Doug is leaving a successful career as a County and City Manager, where he has turned around bankrupt cities and managed annual budgets as l...","published_at":"2020-02-21T22:42:33Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/129658","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/129658"},{"id":129329,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:129329","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"One day left to invest for $1,250","preview":"There is just one day left for those of you who want to invest at our temporary minimum of $1,250. This will fund half an acre of trees that will drawdown up to 500 tons of carbon over the next 10 years. I really want you to hear as many of the voices of World Tree as possible. Last week I shared our story, as told by our farmers. This week, we have a video of our Chief Operations Officer doing a keynote presentation at the Sustainatopia conference in Silicon Valley. Dr. Cathy\u0026nbsp;Key has be...","published_at":"2020-02-13T20:40:59Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/129329","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/129329"},{"id":128808,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:128808","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Farmers: Our Story in their Words","preview":"Farmers are the heart and soul of the Eco-Tree Program and we asked them to share their story with us. We wanted to know about their lives, why the Eco-Tree program matters and why they want to work with us. This video is the result. The first time I watched it I just sat there and cried. The farmers are the reason I started this company and to hear them talk about how important this is to them reminded me of why this all matters. Please take a few minutes to watch it yourself. Why this Matte...","published_at":"2020-02-07T23:49:59Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/128808","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/128808"},{"id":128366,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:128366","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"The Three Ls: Love, Listen and…… Lower!?","preview":"Hello Fellow Climate Saving Superheroes,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;What do you do when you receive an overwhelming response on Wefunder and social media sites regarding the current price point of our investment? Well, for starters - you listen. \u0026nbsp;A very vocal group of World Tree followers and supporters have been asking for a lower minimum investment amount. You told us that you wanted to get involved, but for some people a $2,500 investment is out of reach.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;We want you to know that we’ve hea...","published_at":"2020-01-31T20:52:10Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/128366","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/128366"},{"id":127960,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:127960","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Resolution for a Solution","preview":"Welcome back Dear Friends, Once again, the pages of our yearly calendars have flown by and we find ourselves not only in a new year but a brand new decade. Of all the trends, crisis, miracles and happenings that have taken place over the past ten years there has been one constant that is still just as important (more so now) than the day we first started talking about it: Climate Action. Throughout the past decade humanity has taken a stand on some very important issues. As a combined society...","published_at":"2020-01-08T23:45:39Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/127960","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/127960"},{"id":127676,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:127676","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"A Different Kind of Gift","preview":"Hi Everyone,Bringing the Eco-Tree program to life has taken the dedication, sweat, tears and love of a whole team. We currently have 2000 acres, over 100 farmers, in four countries and the whole program is managed by a small group of very dedicated people. I’d like to introduce you over the next few updates to some of those people, so you can get to know the real heart and soul of the team that make this possible. Meet Angela NautaIf you have ever called World Tree to talk about investing, yo...","published_at":"2019-12-14T00:39:22Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/127676","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/127676"},{"id":127572,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:127572","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"The Big Ask","preview":"Hey everyone,So this is a big one…We’ve been brainstorming, think-tanking and mindful marketing all kinds of ways that we can reach out to the masses to let them know about our program.The difference that we want to make in this world will require a LOT of people to take notice and to take action. Let’s tap into the power of the crowd.We are asking that each of you take some time (not much) out of your day to post, share, tweet, insta, or e-mail our content to anyone that you know.It’s people...","published_at":"2019-12-04T22:57:06Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/127572","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/127572"},{"id":127520,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:127520","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Happy Thanksgiving!","preview":"We\u0026nbsp;want to take a moment and wish all of our US people a Happy Thanksgiving today.Many of you will be spending time with family and friends, maybe cats and/or dogs, or just cuddled up quietly on your own.Regardless of which category you fall under, we would like you to know that this Thanksgiving we, at World Tree, are thankful for your partnership.\u0026nbsp;We are\u0026nbsp;grateful for all of the sharing and spreading-word that you do.\u0026nbsp;We couldn't do this without you and your\u0026nbsp;powerful...","published_at":"2019-11-28T22:32:09Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/127520","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/127520"},{"id":127286,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:127286","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Impactful Actions","preview":"Hello Everyone, It’s time to celebrate! As of this morning, our campaign has raised $150,000. I would like to thank all our investors for showing your support. The first few weeks of a campaign are nail-biting, and the whole World Tree team watches the page to see the progress. When we broke through $150,000 we all raised our coffee cups with big smiles on our faces.Last week I was in Colorado for a conference on Socially Responsible Investing. I was very proud that World Tree was nominated t...","published_at":"2019-11-18T18:23:05Z","author_name":"Wendy Burton","url":"/feed/127286","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/127286"}],"q_and_a":[{"id":39925,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:39925","question":"two questions to clarify: 1) if the separate planting areas from this round come to maturity at different dates - say 1/3 2017, 1/3 2018, 2/3 2019 - are we receiving 3 separate payouts - are are all payouts happening at the end date of 10 years? 2) are there plans for this to be a yearly thing - where there will be 2020 opportunities, 2021, etc...","author_name":"Michael D. Schweigert","votes":6,"created_at":"2019-03-29T02:02:48Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-39925","answers":[{"id":40284,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40284","answer":"Hi Michael - Great questions. You are correct, that it is likely that harvests will happen over the course of a couple of years. We may get some early harvests (e.g. 2027) and there may be later ones (e.g. 2029) although we expect most will be in 2028. We will pay out distributions to investors annually as the harvests are completed. To your second question, yes absolutely our intention is to do this annually.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":5,"created_at":"2019-03-30T16:53:43Z"}]},{"id":163716,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:163716","question":"First, I'm really excited to see this program continue to grow and open new rounds of planting / investing each year! I invested last year, and I'm trying to reconcile the return assumptions between seasons. Specifically, the $4500 \"potential return on $900 invested\" appears to be different from the information on page 32 of the most recent Form 1A (filed in July 2020). Last year's Form 1A indicates a range of $3-$14 / bft. with a blended rate of $7.75 / bft. on a yield of 24,750 board feet per acre (allowing for a 25% loss rate). It looks like the chart at the bottom of this campaign page also assumes a 25% loss rate, but a $6 / bft. blended rate. At the $7.75 / bft. rate from 2020, the estimate was ~$9000 in total returns to investors after $2 harvest cost and 75% going to farmers and World Tree. So, can you help me understand why for this campaign in 2021: A) You're using $6 / bft. instead of $7.75 from prior years, and B) Why at $6 / bft. the returns aren't closer to $6000 [$9k x ($4 per bft. margin / $5.75 per bft. margin)]? Even taken without the increased unit price, the assumed return profile after 12 years is quite different (10x in the 2020 assumptions vs. 5x in the 2021 assumptions with only a $1.75 / bft. difference that I can see). Am I missing something else that's changed since last year?","author_name":"Deric Corwin","votes":4,"created_at":"2021-08-16T18:11:55Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-163716","answers":[{"id":164492,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:164492","answer":"Hi Deric, good question and we love your attention to detail. First of all, it's important to remember that these are all models of projected returns based on three factors: price, yield and survival (or tree loss). Like all models, the projections will vary depending on the assumptions we make. This year we have opted to use more conservative numbers in our projections and hence the differences. Specifically, this year we have run with 220 BF/tree for yield and average of $6/BF for price. We are still assuming a projected loss of 25%.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-08-19T20:40:27Z"}]},{"id":163545,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:163545","question":"This is a multi-year, long-term project, and another year has passed since last year's round. With another year of progress and development, can you give any new/specific updates in two areas: (1) How are the crops from the first couple of years progressing? Are they validating initial projections? Better? Worse? (2) What progress has there been in developing a market for the wood, specifically in the Americas.","author_name":"Matthew H","votes":4,"created_at":"2021-08-15T11:47:45Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-163545","answers":[{"id":164465,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:164465","answer":"Great question, Matthew. From our previous investment rounds, we have planted over 5000 acres of trees with farmers in the United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. Survival rates for our Paulownia are 2016 = 49%, 2018 = 82%. And to add, World Tree is continuing to work with high-end furniture designers, guitar manufacturers, surfboard manufacturers, and distribution vendors to educate and generate interest in Paulownia's high strength to weight ratio and water-resistant qualities for use in those applications.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-08-19T18:16:29Z"}]},{"id":165255,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:165255","question":"Can you make a Better Faster Cheaper argument for your trees? Compare to bamboo and to ordinary timber. I know they grow faster than ordinary timber but does it grow as fast as bamboo? Is it easier to process into lumber? Is the end product cheaper than bamboo or ordinary lumber?","author_name":"Jordan Frank","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-08-23T21:45:39Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-165255","answers":[{"id":165557,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:165557","answer":"Hi Jordan - thanks for this great question. In the early 90’s no-one had ever heard of bamboo, and now 30 years later it is an $80 billion industry touted as a great environmental product. In some ways, we see Empress trees as a new, better bamboo. The primary issue with bamboo is it’s not a tree and it doesn’t actually produce lumber. It’s a very fast growing plant. Creating bamboo ‘wood’ is a labor intensive process that involves heavy processing with harsh chemicals. You can think of it as a soup of bamboo fiber and glue that is hardened into a final product. Empress wood is a true lumber, with a much smaller environmental footprint.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":5,"created_at":"2021-08-24T22:35:03Z"}]},{"id":69184,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:69184","question":"Hi Wendy – I just found the NatureBank report. Where is the supporting documentation from the actual research? The report says that, \"It is estimated that at maximum growth rates over a 20 year life cycle, an acre of mature Paulownia trees can absorb as much as 90 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere. \" That said, where is the data which shows exactly what species was being used i.e. tomentosa, elongata, fortunei as they all have different growth rates. This data should have the number on the time in which the trial was done, exactly how many trees were tested, and the exact bio-mass sequestered per tree and in total. Can you share the rest of these report?","author_name":"Phil Weiner","votes":3,"created_at":"2019-11-19T18:05:50Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-69184","answers":[{"id":69280,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:69280","answer":"Hello Phil, Thank you for your questions. I will try and address them all here, as well as Brand's related question. For the NatureBank Report. You are correct, that the report is on a different planting density to what we use (680 trees per acre rather than 110 trees per acre). The NatureBank took measurements from World Tree’s own trees, however the only growth algorithms for Paulownia in the current scientific literature are based on 680 trees per acre so they had to use those. When you plant at a density of 680 trees, you end up with lots of very skinny trees. The trunks end up being just a few inches in diameter. We plant at 110 trees per acre because we want to grow trees with big trunks (18 inches in diameter or more). If you can picture that, the overall biomass in the field ends up being similar (a field full of a large number of skinny trees or a field full of fat ones). How similar, we are not sure yet. We have a theory that our fat trees actually absorb more carbon overall than the skinny ones - but we really don’t know. Our intention at World Tree is to collect good data over time, so we can more accurately measure carbon sequestration. What we can say right now with our own work in the field and the NatureBank report are that this tree has tremendous carbon absorption and we hope that more scientists will come on board to study this remarkable tree in the future.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":1,"created_at":"2019-11-20T20:01:51Z"}]},{"id":172752,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:172752","question":"Hey, got a ton of questions for you all: 1) Of all the farms you work with, how much % of them intercrop your Paulownia variant? How much % are doing monoculture? 2) Do you see monoculture Paulownia plantations as a viable revenue source or do the problems with it (more vulnerable to disease/pest) outweigh the pros? 3) How do you decide how to plant the fortuna or elongata species at specific farms or regions? Do you usually plant a single species at a farm or a combination of two? Which species is planted the most? 4) Do teak and your Paulownia species intercrop well together? Which trees and/or plants work well alongside the two Paulownia species you plant? 5) You guys have been in operation for half a decade and I have not yet seen any mention of possible revenue sources from \"carbon farming\" (considering how effective these trees are at carbon sequestration) despite operation in four countries. I don't understand the carbon offset market that well but what are the main roadbloacks towards becoming a carbon credit seller? Is it a scale issue since you are constrained by the number of trees planted at the farm location or is it a country-level thing? 6) Not a question but I really respect your attempt to \"blue ocean\" an entirely new Paulownia lumber market. Good luck!","author_name":"Guru Pradhan","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-10-05T16:56:20Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-172752","answers":[{"id":173160,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:173160","answer":"Thank you for the great questions, Guru, and we admire your keen interest in our Paulownia trees and farms! Our answers are following... (1) Approximately 75% of the farms intercrop and the rest are monoculture. (2) Definitely viable as a revenue source, because the vast majority of the farmers we work with have relatively small farms. We are talking farms that are usually between 10 - 50 acres. At that small level, monoculture is not an issue and the soil is far better off with a regenerative tree planted on it rather than being fallow or degraded from previous use. In addition, the farm is far better off with a nectarfarious tree planted. Virus and disease on such small planting areas has never been an issue for us. (3) Many factors go into it that are far too technical to list here. The elevation, rainfall, soil type, Ph level, etc. all play significant roles. We usually plant one variety of one species at a farm, but as the farm size grows we will generally expand the number of varieties and types. In addition, the soil can vary widely even over just 40 acres at one site, so that can also call for planting different varieties and different species at one farm. (4) Yes. We expect to be partnering with some teak growers in Latin America in 2022. Coffee, cacao, different varieties of oats, bananas, plantains, cardamon, silvopasture, sweet potatoes, bee/honey production are all great crops and activities that pair very well with Paulownia and that our farmers are growing right now. Paulownia trees not only consume massive amounts of carbon, but they also consume nitrogen and the leaves are nitrogen fixing when falling to the ground. We have found that many of our farmers have been able to reduce their input by as much as 80% because of intercropping with Paulownia. In addition, water needs have been reduced by as much as 80%. (5) The Regulation D offering that we have on the market right now (https://www.worldtree.eco/institutional-investors/) does offer carbon revenue as part of the return to farmers and investors. However, with our crowd funding offering, we do not offer carbon revenue and the farmers are not part of a carbon project. We have found that many of our investors in the crowd funding offering want to offset their own carbon footprint rather than receive revenue for the carbon credits that their investment generates. You obviously can’t be offsetting your own carbon footprint if you are also selling the credits that are generated. So, we offer the Reg D for accredited investors that want the carbon return and we offer the Reg CF for non accredited investors are are more interested in offsetting their own carbon footprint. Again, great questions, Guru, and we look forward to you joining our movement at World Tree!","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-10-07T17:33:03Z"}]},{"id":165463,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:165463","question":"One our investors have asked why we shifted to a more conservative approach this year with our modeling. Essentially, our models shifted to a more conservative model this year due to partnerships with broker-dealers, who have a more conservative culture by nature. We have seen no downward trends in the markets or the farms. Please note that these are updates to the economic models, and actual results could vary either positively or negatively.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-08-24T16:04:40Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-165463","answers":[{"id":267688,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:267688","answer":"Previously answered.","author_name":"Doug Willmore","votes":0,"created_at":"2023-11-01T18:24:40Z"}]},{"id":163688,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:163688","question":"Wendy, the biggest variable with this whole venture is going to be the market for the lumber once the trees are available for harvest. One thing that seems like it will be challenging is the fact that the trees will be spread out over all kinds of markets (countries/regions). Timber normally finds its way to the closest mill and with this being a newer type of lumber in many of the markets where it is being grown, how do you plan to handle finding the mills that will cut the lumber as well as try and match supply and demand with the lumber markets being pretty localized? If you do in-fact see demand increase in the US but you have 50% being grown outside of the US and those locations don't have local markets for the wood then there could be a whole lot of inventory that would have to travel a long way (cost) and make the value pretty limited. Thanks!","author_name":"Todd Hahn","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-08-16T15:54:14Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-163688","answers":[{"id":164296,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:164296","answer":"Thanks for the great question, Todd. You are correct, that the market for the lumber is key to our success. We have a lumber specialist on our team, Jack Matson who has spent his whole career working in milling and lumber. The are multiple options we can choose (including onsite milling) however the likelihood is that we will work with key mills in our primary growing regions. We don’t see that being a restriction on where we sell the wood, however. We anticipate selling across the United States. In the Latin America we will likely ship all the premium grade lumber to the United States. This sounds expensive, but we believe the reduced expense to process the wood in Latin America will allow us to recoup those costs.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-08-18T16:38:03Z"}]},{"id":40449,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40449","question":"Hi. Can you please post pictures of the Mature Trees ready to be cut down for Lumber. All I saw on the pictures were either sprouts or big leaves? Thanks in advance.","author_name":"Juriys Voronetskis","votes":2,"created_at":"2019-03-30T23:40:35Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-40449","answers":[{"id":40669,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40669","answer":"Hi Juriys - Please take a look at our updates page. There are photos on there from our recent harvest.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-03-31T17:22:57Z"}]},{"id":40102,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40102","question":"This is a sad article from Austalia about failed Paulownia tree (= Empress tree) investments. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-17/timber-investment-schemes-leave-hundreds-without-life-savings/6862060 I should stress, that I don´t want to link World Tree to any of these failed investments. One of the key points of this article is a statement from experts, that the trees were planted in the wrong place. How do you select the locations and the farmers you collaborate with?","author_name":"Andreas Stracke","votes":2,"created_at":"2019-03-29T22:38:13Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-40102","answers":[{"id":40274,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40274","answer":"Hi Andreas - What happened in Australia is very sad. The trees were planted in the wrong place and as you say, where you plant is critical. We have put a lot of work into creating very detailed models of climate, soil, elevation and rainfall. When a farmer applies to be in the program the first thing we do is take their geo-coordinates and run them through the model. Sometimes farms can be next door to each other and one is suitable and the other isn’t. If the land looks suitable we ask them some follow up questions to make sure our model matches their experience. 90% of our farmers receive an on-site visit BEFORE they have even planted and we won’t send their trees until they send us photographs of the land showing it is ready. We’ve visited in person already nearly 50 farmers this spring, checking their land - and Adam from our farmer support team is visiting another 23 farmers over the next two weeks.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":2,"created_at":"2019-03-30T16:44:30Z"}]},{"id":40010,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40010","question":"Regarding propagation, does this variety also sprout from the roots around the tree? Those may not technically be \"new\" trees while connected, but the network of trunks can become invasive. This was a problem I suffered at my home from a neighbor's Empress. I would feel a lot better if this just regrew from the harvested trunk.","author_name":"Michael Boerste","votes":2,"created_at":"2019-03-29T16:09:50Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-40010","answers":[{"id":40282,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40282","answer":"Hi Michael - thanks for the question. I’m not going to say its impossible for the tree to send a sprout from the roots. However in my many decades of experience I have not seen it with our varieties. When we cut the tree down it generates four or five sprouts around the trunk. Our practice is to select the best one and cut the others away to grow a new tree.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":1,"created_at":"2019-03-30T16:49:55Z"}]},{"id":34738,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:34738","question":"What is wrong with you people? This is clearly an invasive and fast-growing tree that would quickly overwhelm native ecosystems virtually everywhere it's planted. It's not an answer.","author_name":"Corrie Jagger","votes":2,"created_at":"2019-02-10T03:32:00Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-34738","answers":[{"id":34999,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:34999","answer":"Thank you for asking this important question. There are many varieties of Paulownia, only one of which is considered invasive: Paulownia tomentosa is on the US Government’s invasive species list. We do not plant this variety. All other varieties of Paulownia are non-invasive and are NOT listed on the invasive species list. We grow primarily Paulownia fortunei, with trees that are sterile. A group of scientists at Fort Valley University have been studying Paulownia for over a decade. We visited their lab and mature plantation last year. Of the 2000 trees they planted, not one single tree has produced a new tree. David Sutton, a farmer of the tree for 30 years and on the board of the American Paulownia Association states: “The Empress Tree does not cause any amount of environmental harm. The tree does not deteriorate wildlife habitat, reduce soil stabilization, change flora and fauna rates, or diminish a lands ability to carry wildlife or livestock. Furthermore, the tree is unable to compete with plant species that are considered native to North America. The Rainforest Alliance is internationally recognized as a certification program for sustainable forestry and best practices for tree planting and agroforestry. It has reported that the Paulownia tree as an ecologically sound tree for the purposes of reforestation and carbon sequestration. For more information on the Science of Paulownia read our blog: https://worldtree.info/the-science-of-paulownia/","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":4,"created_at":"2019-02-14T18:37:10Z"}]},{"id":34713,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:34713","question":"I strongly disagree that your cultivars are not invasive - where is your evidence? We have princess tree invading sites across the Midwest and it is reprehensible that you are actively working to make things worse. I have spent decades dealing with invasive plants in the Midwest and I can assure you your cultivars are just as invasive as the parent species. Please, plant native trees that are not invasive and provide habitat for wildlife, not this Asian invasive. Signed, Ellen Jacquart (I would welcome talking to you on this issue)","author_name":"Ellen Jacquart","votes":2,"created_at":"2019-02-09T16:31:11Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-34713","answers":[{"id":35000,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:35000","answer":"Hi Ellen, We have been growing and studying this tree for many decades and care deeply about the environment. We would never use a tree that would harm the environment. There are many varieties of Paulownia, only one of which is considered invasive: Paulownia tomentosa is on the US Government’s invasive species list. We do not plant this variety. All other varieties of Paulownia are non-invasive and are NOT listed on the invasive species list. We grow primarily Paulownia fortunei, with trees that are sterile. A group of scientists at Fort Valley University have been studying Paulownia for over a decade. We visited their lab and mature plantation last year. Of the 2000 trees they planted, not one single tree has produced a new tree. David Sutton, a farmer of the tree for 30 years and on the board of the American Paulownia Association states: “The Empress Tree does not cause any amount of environmental harm. The tree does not deteriorate wildlife habitat, reduce soil stabilization, change flora and fauna rates, or diminish a lands ability to carry wildlife or livestock. Furthermore, the tree is unable to compete with plant species that are considered native to North America. The Rainforest Alliance is internationally recognized as a certification program for sustainable forestry and best practices for tree planting and agroforestry. It has reported that the Paulownia tree as an ecologically sound tree for the purposes of reforestation and carbon sequestration. For more information on the Science of Paulownia read our blog: https://worldtree.info/the-science-of-paulownia/","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":1,"created_at":"2019-02-14T18:37:37Z"}]},{"id":29332,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:29332","question":"Has this tree ever been planted in larger tracts like this? It seems that it is a monocrop type planting? It seems that all monocrop plantings eventually lead to disease for the trees and is the single biggest risk I can think of. How are you managing for this?","author_name":"Lev Freedman","votes":2,"created_at":"2018-10-22T23:03:00Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-29332","answers":[{"id":29897,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:29897","answer":"Thank you, Lev, for your question. Yes, Paulownia has been panted on larger tracts. We plant our trees with many different farmers in many different locations. The trees intercrop very well with shade-loving plants and most of our Costa Rican farmers inter-crop with coffee. Even in locations where the farmers are only planting Empress trees we rapidly see other plants and wildlife growing. You are correct that disease is a risk which is why we plant in a diverse range of locations. So, if we do lose one plantation it won’t affect the others.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":2,"created_at":"2018-11-02T16:10:30Z"}]},{"id":266501,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:266501","question":"I had invested in 2019 and that was for a particular individual section of tress - correct? But this time appears you are raising funds for the company -not on an individual plantation like previously. Please explain?","author_name":"Ravin Mehra","votes":1,"created_at":"2023-10-22T19:09:56Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-266501","answers":[{"id":266653,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:266653","answer":"Thanks for the question and for your previous investment, Ravin. The program this year works in an identical way to the one you invested in before. As an investor you receive Units in World Tree USA LLC. For example this year you would receive Series A Eco-Tree 2023 Units. We like to call that Series a vintage and you are an owner of that vintage. We plant trees from that vintage at many farm locations (not a single plantation). This is so we can diversify tree farms across regions to reduce risk.","author_name":"Doug Willmore","votes":1,"created_at":"2023-10-24T05:53:10Z"}]},{"id":195305,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:195305","question":"K1 forms. Last year we got them very late in relation to the tax deadline. Will they be sent out earlier this year?","author_name":"Chris Jones","votes":1,"created_at":"2022-03-06T15:45:22Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-195305","answers":[{"id":201951,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:201951","answer":"Hi Chris, K-1 forms were uploaded through each investor's Computershare account. If you don't know your Computershare account number, send an email to investorrelations@worldtree.eco.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2022-04-20T19:16:32Z"}]},{"id":165065,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:165065","question":"I'm curious as to why the per acre price has gone up almost 50% since last year. It seems extreme and prevents me, and Im sure many others, from buying a full acre. I had hoped to buy an acre per year to provide a steady future income stream. Although I see we can now buy increments it cuts deeply into any future ROI.","author_name":"Marc M Connelly","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-08-23T02:22:25Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-165065","answers":[{"id":165687,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:165687","answer":"Hi Marc, thank you for your question about the per acre pricing in 2021 vs 2020. The pricing is updated periodically due to farming and distribution operations, as well as growing the future lumber market for Paulownia. For this specific reason, we created the early-bird pricing of $1.60/unit or $3,200/acre to allow our valued investors such as yourself to optimize your investment this year. When the $1M early-bird threshold is crossed, the pricing rises to $1.80/unit or $3,600/acre.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-08-25T15:58:02Z"}]},{"id":163408,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:163408","question":"Hi, When I invested a year ago, the share price was $1.25 and now it is $1.80. Can you please explain why the cost to plant one acre has increased that much in just a year. Thanks","author_name":"Per Olof Valdemar Persson","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-08-13T22:16:26Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-163408","answers":[{"id":164295,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:164295","answer":"Hi Per Olof Valdemar, thanks for the great question about the pricing. The pricing is updated periodically due to farming and distribution operations, as well as growing the future lumber market for Paulownia. Currently the early-bird pricing is very close to last year's pricing at $1.50/unit. The $1.25/unit pricing was from Oct 2019. We do encourage you to invest especially during this early-bird period for the special pricing.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-08-18T16:36:21Z"}]},{"id":131044,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:131044","question":"Are you guys going to do another round for this year?","author_name":"Evan Rudibaugh","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-02-17T04:48:43Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-131044","answers":[{"id":165995,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:165995","answer":"World Tree is happy to announce our crowdfunding offering that is currently available for all investors, where you can join the movement to help reverse climate change and make significant economic impacts for small farmers and investors.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-08-26T18:27:54Z"}]},{"id":94123,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:94123","question":"What is your comment on what is written on the sites which HATE this tree such as this one www.ecosystemgardening.com/paulownia-princess-tree-on-most-hated-plants-list.html","author_name":"David Getoff","votes":1,"created_at":"2020-06-18T17:15:31Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-94123","answers":[{"id":96986,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:96986","answer":"Hello David - Thanks for your comment. The primary concern here is about invasiveness - it would be highly undesirable to plant an invasive tree. Like many other better known trees (e.g. Oak and Maple) Paulownia has many difference species. One of these (Paulownia tomentosa) is listed as invasive. World Tree does not use this species for this reason.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2020-07-07T20:54:36Z"}]},{"id":82416,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:82416","question":"I'm not sure if someone has brought this up, but the Empress tree is an invasive that could \"pollute\" nearby farms with its seeds. How would you deal with this issue?","author_name":"Bryce Bjornson","votes":1,"created_at":"2020-03-13T19:16:47Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-82416","answers":[{"id":82979,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:82979","answer":"Hi Bryce - Thanks for the question. There are many varieties of Paulownia, only one of which is considered invasive: Paulownia tomentosa is on the US Government’s invasive species list. We do not plant this variety. All other varieties of Paulownia are non-invasive and are NOT listed on the invasive species list. We grow primarily Paulownia fortunei, with trees that are sterile. A group of scientists at Fort Valley University have been studying Paulownia for over a decade. We visited their lab and mature plantation last year. Of the 2000 trees they planted, not one single tree has produced a new tree. David Sutton, a farmer of the tree for 30 years and on the board of the American Paulownia Association states: “The Empress Tree does not cause any amount of environmental harm. The tree does not deteriorate wildlife habitat, reduce soil stabilization, change flora and fauna rates, or diminish a lands ability to carry wildlife or livestock. Furthermore, the tree is unable to compete with plant species that are considered native to North America. The Rainforest Alliance is internationally recognized as a certification program for sustainable forestry and best practices for tree planting and agroforestry. It has reported that the Paulownia tree as an ecologically sound tree for the purposes of reforestation and carbon sequestration. For more information on the Science of Paulownia read our blog: https://worldtree.info/the-science-of-paulownia/","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2020-03-18T22:53:10Z"}]},{"id":77428,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:77428","question":"If you invest the minimun ($1,250.00), does the investor receive 1,000 shares of common stock in addition to 25% of the proceeds from the first harvest (in approximately 10 years) or just the proceeds from the first harvest? Also, if the answer is just the proceeds from the first harvest, is the investor's interest transferable should he/she pass away prior to the initial harvest?","author_name":"Craig Robinson","votes":1,"created_at":"2020-02-08T00:14:26Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-77428","answers":[{"id":77823,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:77823","answer":"Thanks for the question, Craig. An investor who puts in $1,250 will receive 1,000 World Tree Series A Eco-Tree 2019 Units. These Units earn returns from the harvest in approximately 10 years, and that return is 25% of the proceeds of the harvest shared between all the Unitholders pro-rata. Investors only receive proceeds from the first harvest. If an investor passes away prior to the initial harvest, yes - their Units are transferrable.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2020-02-10T17:06:57Z"}]},{"id":72573,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:72573","question":"Two questions: 1)I am an American citizen living as a permanent resident in Australia. Is it possible for me to invest in World Tree? 2) You have talked about a 50/25/25 split of profits from the trees. Is that just a one off profit taking when the trees are first harvested? You’ve said that these trees can regenerate themselves up to 7 times, so my question is do investors get to continue reaping profits if the farmers decide to harvest and then regenerate? Could you please explain how this works.","author_name":"Kent Leach","votes":1,"created_at":"2019-12-23T00:00:19Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-72573","answers":[{"id":73726,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:73726","answer":"Hi Kent, thank you for your questions. Yes, as an American citizen living in Australia you can invest. Although the trees can regenerate themselves up to 7 times, investors will only receive returns from the first harvest.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":1,"created_at":"2020-01-08T18:32:05Z"}]},{"id":69182,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:69182","question":"Hi Wendy – can you verify this supposed NatureBank report and also provide an update like to verify your original findings that the Kiri tree sequesters 103 tonnes of carbon. http://worldtree.eco/files/ERT-Carbon-Sequestration-Projection.pdf - this link produces a 404 redirect and there is no record on Google of this PDF being indexed. Brand Fulcher also pointed out that there are lots of contradictory statements including the fact that the links to the reports you claim are broken on your website. Can you verify the links for these two reports? Otherwise strike these claims from your SEC form 1A and the page please as they cannot be verified anywhere.","author_name":"Phil Weiner","votes":1,"created_at":"2019-11-19T17:57:38Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-69182","answers":[{"id":69281,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:69281","answer":"Phil, I posted my reply on your other thread. Thanks!","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-11-20T20:10:55Z"}]},{"id":40477,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:40477","question":"Hi. What binding legal agreements do you have with the farmers to assure that they will sell the wood through World Tree in 10 years?","author_name":"Arthur House","votes":1,"created_at":"2019-03-31T01:24:50Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/worldtree#question-40477","answers":[{"id":41110,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:41110","answer":"We have a binding legal agreement with the farmers to cover every as aspect of growing, caring for an harvesting the trees.","author_name":"Wendy Burton","votes":0,"created_at":"2019-03-31T20:44:41Z"}]}],"faq":[{"question":"So it will take a minimum of 10 years to see any returns?","answer":"That is correct."},{"question":"Is this investment for growing the company (marketing, research etc) or for planting empress trees? In other words, if I invest, will I become owner in the company?","answer":"Kishore - yes, if you invest you become an owner in the company. Your investment is used for planting trees, managing the plantations, and doing everything we need to do to bring the harvest to market in 10 years."},{"question":"From what I could gather having a glance at the Form C, investors here will have no interest in all the trees already planted and growing. They will only receive revenue (if any) from trees planted after this fundraise closes, requiring a minimum 10 year waiting period. My que...","answer":"Hi Barnaby. This is an awesome question. Each year we take in a new pool (or season of investors) who receive year specific units. This year we are issuing World Tree COP 2018 Units and we will plant trees soley on behalf of these investors. Only 2018 Unit holders receive dividends from this season of trees (previous investors are linked to their season of trees). We keep the harvest seasons separate, so that we are always planting exactly the right number of trees and there is never a diluti..."},{"question":"What is the valuation for this raise?","answer":"Hi Craig. Our structure is a little unusual in that we plant trees depending on the number of Units issued and the profits come in 10 years. Of course, we don't know what those will be because we can't predict the market. In the current market the lumber sells for between $3 and $14 board foot. At $3 a board foot, and assuming losses of 25%, one acre can produce $67,500. Investor share of this would be 25% which $16,875. Full details of risks and returns are providing in our offering documents."},{"question":"Is there a reason for the $900 minimum. I am very interested but that is a heavier stake than I am comfortable with at this stage. Would you consider lowering the minimum investment?","answer":"Thank you for the question, Dean. A $900 investment allows us to plant half an acre of trees, which is the smallest allotment that we can do economically."}]}}}