At last year's Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs, hosted by Mountain Runner Events, finishers of the 90km Hobbit Wayfarer did not receive a traditional medal. There was no metal disc stamped and ribboned to hang around the neck. Instead, runners were gifted something alive: an indigenous tree, planted nearby on their behalf.

Through Sustainable Harvest International’s (SHI) program, farmers learn how to cultivate food in ways that protect and regenerate forests. They plant trees in previously degraded areas, harnessing their benefits—like improved water retention, wind protection, and soil enrichment—to boost food production. Over the past 28 years, SHI farmers have been at the heart of reforestation efforts, helping degraded ecosystems come back to life.