At Coorest, we allow individuals and businesses to easily and transparently compensate for their carbon footprint. We do this by creating sustainable NFTs that are linked to real trees. We call these NFTrees and they are the reason why we plant forests and orchards in different areas of the world. Currently, we are busy planting a particularly scenic fig orchard next to lake Caspe, Spain. But why did we choose figs, and what’s so special about them? Read on to find out!
What even is a fig?
The fig tree species goes by the name of Ficus carica. These trees have existed since the time the dinosaurs first roamed the Earth. Figs have also been cultivated by humans since ancient times. Their origin is tracked down to the Mediterranean and Western Asia. It turns out that it is pretty easy to take care of this fast-growing tree. You probably knew that the fig tree is able to grow outside in hotter climates. But did you know that it can also survive in a colder climate with a temperature as low as -15°C? That is pretty impressive for a mature and dormant plant. One more thing that a lot of people might not know is that fig is actually not a fruit, but rather a flowering plant.
The Ficus species has brought water, shade, nourishment, and other benefits to humans and plants. That means that it has enormous potential to help us solve ecological problems. Right now, the most serious of which are deforestation and climate change. Unlike most other plants which produce fruit seasonally, fig trees are able to bear fruit two or more times in a year. That makes them an abundant food source for the wildlife surrounding them. Some fig trees also have a special relationship with wasps. These act as pollinators that feed off the plant. Other fig species don’t rely on insects because they are self-pollinating. Take for example the brown turkey fig. These trees are very sturdy and resistant to cold — traits that make them an excellent choice for the recovery of deforested land.
There’s also a rather interesting connection between frugivores and fig trees. A frugivore is an animal that eats mostly raw fruit. Some of the most famous frugivores are birds, bats and monkeys. Groups of frugivores are usually attracted to the fruiting fig trees. As they approach the sweet plant, they bring and accidentally drop all kinds of seeds they had been eating. Together with the figs, these seeds help create a unique plant system. Following a series of processes, this union results in a more dynamic and healthier ecosystem.
Fig trees in the real world
At the time of publishing this article, we are planting 5500 fig trees at our Spanish orchard in Caspe. We are working alongside local farmers to turn the 5.5-acre Finca into a fig paradise. As soon as we plant the fig saplings, they will begin absorbing carbon and purifying the air. After this is done, they will start to absorb more than 137,500 kg of CO2 each year. A few years from now these trees will also start to produce delicious figs. We intend to sell these at a fair price to the Dutch food market.
NFTrees in the digital world
Our first batch of NFTrees is linked to the figs we are planting right now. They will generate $CCO2 equal to the amount of CO2 the trees absorb from the atmosphere. Those who already own NFTrees from the first batch will start collecting $CCO2 tokens very soon. They can also expect an annual reward of roughly 12 USDC after 4 years. This reward will come from the sale of the fruit to food markets. We are also working on creating in-game functionality for our NFTrees in several metaverse projects. These include NovaTerra, VulcanVerse and RPM racing. We even created a Tamagotchi-style mobile game where you can plant a fig and take care of it.
If that piques your interest, check out My Coorest Tree!
Now you know what a fig is and how our NFTrees tie into the figs we are planting. We are convinced that this is only the beginning and are planning to create and support many more NFTree projects around the world! We would like to thank you for all your help and support. We believe that together, we are creating a better future!
