What Free Tree Society does

Free Tree Society is a Malaysian non-profit organization founded in 2013 and headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, focused on environmental stewardship through the free distribution of trees, hands-on environmental education, and community-based reforestation. The organization operates a network of nurseries, urban forest trails, and outreach sites — including a flagship site at Taman Tugu supported by CIMB Islamic Bank — and runs seven core programs targeting students, corporate volunteers, and the general public. Cumulative impact includes distribution of 91,290+ free trees and engagement of 81,905+ environmental stewards across roughly eleven years of operation.

The organization's operational model combines physical site stewardship (Bangsar nursery, Taman Tugu urban forest, Pulai Trail, and the KPARC reforestation site in Perak) with a mobile On-the-Go school outreach program. It runs structured educational offerings such as Climate Reality leadership training, school field trips, and corporate ESG workshops priced around RM65 per participant. The technology stack is field-based and lightweight — a Wix-based website, an e-commerce merchandise shop, and standard CRM-style supporter communications — with no proprietary platform or software product. Internal capacity is approximately 20 staff and trainers.

Free Tree Society's revenue mechanics are diversified across non-transactional and fee-based channels: annual membership fees (RM80-100 per tier), corporate workshop fees, environmental talks (RM500-700 per session), e-commerce merchandise sales, and — most significantly — corporate sponsorships and tax-deductible donations channeled through AWAN (the organization has routed over RM550,000 in corporate ESG fees through this structure). Its tax-exempt status under Malaysia's Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) was renewed for the period 2025-2030, providing a multi-year regulatory foundation for continued donor inflows.

Name

Free Tree Society

Legal name

Free Tree Society

Website

https://freetreesociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Free Tree Society is a Malaysian non-profit founded in 2013 that distributes free trees and delivers hands-on environmental education through urban nurseries, forest trails, a mobile school outreach programme, and corporate ESG workshops in Kuala Lumpur and Perak.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (1132)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting (AFAMACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tree Care & Arborist Services (IMAIAIAB)

Keywords

• Environmental education services
• Tree distribution programs
• Urban reforestation services
• Corporate CSR workshops
• Community environmental stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuala Lumpur

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Associate Membership costs RM80/year for Malaysian citizens outside Kuala Lumpur; Full Annual Membership costs RM100/year for those in KL; Lifetime Membership is a one-time RM1,000 fee for eligible members.
2. Corporate Workshop Fees: Corporations pay RM65 per person for hands-on workshop sessions at Bangsar Nursery, Taman Tugu Nursery, and Pulai Trail. Optional vegetarian catering is available at RM25 per person (minimum 15 pax). Fees for Taman Tugu are channelled to Amanah Warisan Negara (AWAN) for park conservation. Environmental talks cost RM500 for online sessions and RM700 for in-person talks.
3. Online Merchandise Sales: E-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise including stainless steel water bottles (MYR 199), tote bags (MYR 20), eye serum (MYR 56), golf sweater (MYR 275), eyeglasses (MYR 80), chairs (MYR 690), facial cleanser (MYR 85), diffusers (MYR 119), earrings (MYR 269), t-shirts (MYR 120), and caps (MYR 68 on sale).
4. Corporate Sponsorship & Donations: Sponsorship of programmes, tree giveaways, and outreach activities by corporate partners. Donations are eligible for tax-exempt receipts under Malaysian law (LHDN.AG.600-12/1/4-6.8888, valid 01 April 2025 to 31 March 2030). The organisation does not accept physical tokens (t-shirts, mugs, plaques) in lieu of donations to maintain zero-waste ethos.
5. Tree Giveaway Programme: Free trees distributed to homeowners (1-2 trees per household at events), schools, community gardens, orphanages, and NGOs. NGOs and community organisations apply via dedicated forms. The Kelak Gelak Fund provides grafted fruit trees (approximately RM60 each) to orphanages and children's shelters.
6. Reforestation Sponsorship: Off-site reforestation sponsorship at Korbu Perak Arboretum and Rainforest Centre (KPARC) in Perak. Organisations fund tree planting and long-term care in a rainforest corridor. This is not a hands-on activity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Free Tree Society is a Malaysian non-profit environmental organization that distributes free trees to homeowners, schools, communities, shelters, parks, and forests, while delivering hands-on environmental education through three physical nurseries (Bangsar, Taman Tugu), the Pulai Trail Urban Forest, and a mobile On-the-Go school outreach programme. The organization supplements its tree-distribution mission with paid corporate workshops, environmental talks, CSR sponsorship packages, a tiered membership programme, and an online shop selling sustainable merchandise.

Product overview

Free Tree Society operates a multi-programme environmental education and conservation ecosystem centred on free tree distribution and hands-on learning. The core offering is the #FreeTrees Giveaway Programme that distributes trees to homeowners, schools, and communities. This is supported by three physical locations: Bangsar Nursery (urban gardening and plant propagation), Taman Tugu Nursery (forest conservation within a 66-acre urban forest), and Pulai Trail Urban Forest (1.2km trail with stewardship activities). The On-the-Go School Outreach Programme delivers mobile environmental education to educational institutions. Corporate engagement is served through paid hands-on workshops at the nurseries and trail, environmental talks, and CSR sponsorship packages. A membership programme (Associate, Full Annual, Lifetime tiers) and an online shop selling sustainable lifestyle products complement the offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• #FreeTrees Giveaway Programme Core free tree distribution programme that gives 1-2 trees to homeowners per event and bulk allocations to schools, community gardens, NGOs, and orphanages. Includes the Kelak Gelak Fund providing mature grafted fruit trees for orphanages and children's shelters.
• Bangsar Nursery Flagship urban nursery and volunteer workshop space offering free plant adoption on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with hands-on programmes on gardening basics, composting, biodiversity, and plant propagation. Open to homeowners, volunteers, and corporate workshop groups.
• Taman Tugu Nursery Forest nursery located within a 66-acre urban forest park offering guided jungle walks, conservation talks, and forest plant propagation workshops. Operated in partnership with Taman Tugu Project Development Sdn. Bhd. and sponsored by CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad.
• Pulai Trail Urban Forest 1.2km urban forest trail in Bukit Persekutuan (Federal Hill) offering volunteer stewardship sessions including tree planting, trail maintenance, and biodiversity walks. Open for independent public hiking daily.
• On-the-Go School Outreach Programme Mobile environmental education programme using a specially equipped truck to deliver environmental talks and hands-on workshops (seed planting, wildlife habitats, edible gardens, climate talks) directly to schools, colleges, and universities across Malaysia. Free for eligible schools thanks to corporate sponsors.
• Corporate Hands-on Workshops Private ESG-aligned volunteer workshops for corporate groups at Bangsar Nursery (up to 24 pax), Taman Tugu Nursery (up to 60 pax), and Pulai Trail (up to 10 pax), priced at RM65 per person. Includes tree planting, propagation, and conservation activities. Taman Tugu fees are channelled to Amanah Warisan Negara (AWAN).
• Environmental Talks Corporate environmental education sessions delivered by trained Climate Reality leaders covering Climate Reality, Rewild Malaysia, Zero Waste, and custom sustainability topics. Available online (RM500) or in-person (RM700), with optional interactive quizzes.
• Corporate CSR Sponsorship Corporate social responsibility sponsorship packages including #freetree giveaway sponsorships, Rewild Malaysia native planting, youth outreach via On-the-Go, and forest restoration at Korbu Perak Arboretum. Donations are eligible for tax-exempt receipts under Malaysian law.
• Membership Programme Tiered annual membership programme: Associate (RM80/year) for Malaysian citizens residing or working outside Kuala Lumpur, Full Annual (RM100/year) for those in KL, and Lifetime (RM1,000 one-time) for long-term members.
• Online Shop E-commerce storefront selling branded sustainable lifestyle merchandise including stainless steel water bottles (MYR 199), tote bags (MYR 20), apparel, wellness products, eyeglasses, diffusers, and home goods.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91,290+ free trees distributed to homeowners, schools, communities, shelters, parks, farms, and forests
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BRDB Developments BerhadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRDB Developments Berhad is listed as a valuable longstanding partner supporting Free Tree Society's mission. The nature of the partnership relates to community sustainability efforts and environmental stewardship programmes.
• Yayasan Sime DarbycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYayasan Sime Darby is a valued partner providing support for Free Tree Society's environmental programmes. The foundation's backing contributes to the organisation's capacity to deliver environmental education and tree distribution activities.
• Yayasan HasanahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYayasan Hasanah partners with Free Tree Society to support environmental initiatives and community sustainability projects. The foundation's contribution helps fund programme delivery and扩大Free Tree Society's reach.
• Taman Tugu Project Development Sdn. Bhd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Taman Tugu-Free Tree Society Nature Education Programme is a formal partnership between Free Tree Society and Taman Tugu Project Development Sdn. Bhd. The partnership operates within the 66-acre Taman Tugu urban forest park, with Free Tree Society delivering hands-on conservation education and nursery activities.
• Korbu Perak Arboretum and Rainforest Centre (KPARC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPARC in Perak serves as Free Tree Society's off-site reforestation location. Organisations can sponsor reforestation efforts at this rainforest corridor. The site is managed with dedicated programme staff (Nordiyana Aini and Mahmud). This is not a hands-on activity programme.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trees for the Future: Global reforestation NGO with a donor-funded tree-planting and training model. Comparable in mission, volunteer/donor mix, and the combination of tree distribution with hands-on community education programmes.
• Eden Reforestation Projects: International tree-planting NGO operating nurseries and reforestation sites through local employment and partnerships. Directly comparable on nursery-based propagation, multi-site operations, and donor-supported reforestation model.
• One Tree Planted: Global non-profit that plants trees through corporate partnerships and donor sponsorships. Direct comparable on the free-tree distribution model, corporate ESG partnership packaging, and donor-funded reforestation sponsorship structure.
• Yayasan Tzu Chi Malaysia: Malaysian NGO operating environmental, community welfare, and education programmes through a volunteer-led model. Comparable in non-profit structure, Malaysian footprint, community-engagement approach, and reliance on institutional/corporate partnerships.
• Reef Check Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur-based environmental NGO operating volunteer-driven marine conservation and citizen-science programmes. Similar community-led, education-centred, and partnership-funded model, with comparable scale and Malaysian non-profit structure.
• Malaysian Nature Society: Malaysia's oldest and largest environmental NGO, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. Directly comparable in mission and operating model — community-based conservation, environmental education, and volunteer-driven programmes across multiple sites — making it the closest Malaysian peer to Free Tree Society.
• Habitat for Humanity Malaysia: Malaysian non-profit running community build and volunteer engagement programmes. Comparable operating model — volunteer-intensive, corporate CSR workshops, multi-site programme management, and donor-funded mission execution in Malaysia.

Others

• Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM): Malaysian government-affiliated forestry research body with public education programmes and reforestation activities. Adjacent rather than directly comparable — it operates as a research institution rather than a community-distribution NGO, but shares the Malaysian forestry and environmental education domain.

Broad incumbents

• WWF Malaysia: Large established Malaysian arm of a global conservation NGO with broader biodiversity and policy remit. Overlaps with Free Tree Society on environmental education and corporate CSR engagement, but operates at a significantly larger scale and with a wider portfolio.

Emerging players

• Global Forest Generation: Smaller environmental foundation focused on forest restoration and community-led reforestation. Comparable mission and donor-funded model, though operating at a smaller scale and with a more international geographic focus than Free Tree Society.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@freetreesocietykl
• Facebookfacebook.com/FreeTreeSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/14414853
• Instagraminstagram.com/freetreesociety
• Xx.com/fts_kl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Free Tree Society