Send Your Valentine a Rainforest…

A single red rose received on Valentine's Day. What could be nicer? Only receiving a whole bunch of red roses. That is, until you look at the price tag for the beloved – and for the Earth.

Each Valentine's Day we spend a staggering £22 million on flowers – a single rose according to Interflora is likely to cost around £25 while a bunch of roses will knock you back something closer to £70. So what, we think – it's only once a year, and can a gesture of love ever be too dear?

Well, sometimes it can cost far, far more than you think. Most of those glowing roses in their cellophane wrappers will have travelled a seriously long way – from places like Zimbabwe, Israel, Colombia, Holland, Israel, Kenya and the Channel Islands. Just flying them for one special day contributes substantially to global warming from aircraft emissions.

Instead, why not buy a bouquet of spring Flowers? Would anyone, ever, refuse a gift of sumptuous chocolates? Probably not, but even so, in both cases the pleasure is fleeting. What can you give the object of your affection that's literally priceless and lasts forever?

For the environmentally conscious beloved, there's really only one gift. An acre of Rainforest bought in their name for just £50, saved and protected by the World Land Trust, is the Valentine's Day present that just goes on and on giving pleasure. Your acre – which will be in a region you can visit – will be part of a luxuriant tropical rain forest where giant trees, thickly hung with wild orchids, shelter rare species of animals and birds. Not only are you saving that acre from destruction, you are supporting the crucial role played by rainforests in preserving the world's carbon balance. In addition you'll receive a gift certificate and a copy of the Trust's newsletter twice a year. You'll be giving a love token that will last forever and helping save one of the most beautiful habitats on the planet.

Your love may be exactly like a red, red rose but an acre of rain forest is the gift that will make you – the giver, truly unforgettable!

Give your Valentine a Rainforest – More information on saving an acre of rainforest for Valentine's Day.