What happens when one of the board gaming world’s most celebrated designers decides to roll the dice on saving the planet? Uwe Rosenberg, the creative mind behind iconic games like Agricola and Patchwork, has undertaken an extraordinary initiative to plant 40,000 trees while also releasing a new board game tied to the effort.
This ambitious reforestation endeavor is called the Boardgame Road, and it’s more than just a catchy name. The initiative aims to transform a 20-hectare stretch of savannah in Ghana into a vibrant, tree-lined forest. Rosenberg’s vision, in collaboration with the reforestation company Click a tree, is to plant these 40,000 trees over the next decade.
Here’s how it works: each participating publisher commits to planting at least 2,000 trees, which will form a growing, sustainable ecosystem around an unpaved road. The result will be a literal boardgame road — a symbolic and physical path toward environmental stewardship.
But this isn’t just about planting trees and calling it a day. The project also emphasizes social impact, providing fair, long-term employment opportunities for local workers. From planting and maintaining the trees to ensuring the forest thrives, this initiative is creating jobs for communities in Ghana. Moreover, the project invests in local education, funding business schools to empower young Ghanaians with skills that open doors to sustainable livelihoods. This dual focus on ecology and economic empowerment makes the Boardgame Road a unique blueprint for what socially conscious environmental projects can achieve.
And Uwe Rosenberg isn’t doing this alone. The initiative has gained the backing of 18 prominent publishers from across the board gaming industry, each lending their support to ensure the project’s success. Some of the major names include Amigo Spiel+Freizeit GmbH, Hans im Glück, Lookout Spiele, Skellig Games, Feuerland Spiele, Edition Spielwiese, and many others. This collaborative effort showcases the gaming industry’s collective willingness to address global issues while supporting a cause close to the heart of their creative community. Each publisher brings its resources and audience to the table, amplifying the project’s reach and impact.
To further cement the connection between gaming and conservation, Rosenberg has designed a new board game aptly titled Click A Tree. Published by Skellig Games, this tile-placement game puts players in the role of Ghanaian farmers, challenging them to plant trees and grow crops within a sustainable ecosystem. The gameplay is deeply thematic, reflecting the delicate balance of ecology and agriculture that the real-life project aims to achieve. Players must carefully plan their actions to ensure the trees and crops thrive, mirroring the strategic challenges faced in sustainable land management. It’s a clever way to engage players with the project’s core message while offering a satisfying, immersive gaming experience.
Click A Tree launched on Kickstarter on January 14, and it’s safe to say it’s already a hit. With over $23,000 raised and 400 backers supporting the campaign, the game has surpassed its funding goal in record time. Backers not only get a beautifully designed game from a legendary creator but also contribute to the Boardgame Road initiative, as a portion of the proceeds will go directly toward planting trees. The Kickstarter campaign also offers various tiers of support, including the option to fund additional trees, making it a perfect blend of gaming and philanthropy.
What makes this project so exciting is how seamlessly it ties together the worlds of creativity, conservation, and community. Uwe Rosenberg’s legacy as a designer has always been about creating intricate systems and exploring the connections between humans and the world around them. From farming in Agricola to quilt-making in Patchwork, his games often reflect a deep appreciation for the resources we rely on and the delicate balance required to manage them. Click A Tree takes that ethos to the next level, combining a thematic gaming experience with real-world impact.
The Boardgame Road initiative also serves as a powerful example of how industries can step up to address pressing global challenges. By tying environmental action to a beloved pastime, Rosenberg and his collaborators are making sustainability accessible and fun—proving that even small steps, when taken together, can lead to monumental change.
