Plant a tree on-chain.
In fifteen minutes.

MetaMask is a free browser extension that holds your test wallet — a digital wallet where your test ETH, test USDC, and your tree NFTs will live. Think of it as a self-custodial bank account that nobody else can access.

1. Open Chrome, Brave, or Firefox on a desktop computer (mobile works too, but desktop is easier for first-time setup).
2. Go to the official MetaMask website using the button below — never download from an app store result, only from metamask.io.
3. Click "Download" → "Install MetaMask for Chrome" (or whichever browser you use).
4. Open the extension. Click "Create a new wallet" — you'll set a password and write down a 12-word backup phrase.
5. Write that 12-word phrase down on paper and store it somewhere safe. This is your only key. We'll never see it. We can never recover it for you.

By default, MetaMask only knows about Ethereum mainnet. We need to tell it about Base Sepolia — Coinbase's free test version of the Base blockchain, where this platform lives during the preview.

The easiest way: one-click add. Use Chainlist, the standard tool for adding networks to MetaMask. It detects MetaMask automatically and adds the network with one click.

On Chainlist: search "Base Sepolia," click "Connect Wallet," then click "Add to MetaMask." MetaMask pops up to confirm. Click Approve.

Or add manually. If Chainlist isn't loading, open MetaMask → click the network dropdown at the top → "Add a network" → "Add a network manually" — then paste these values:

Every blockchain transaction costs a tiny fee called "gas." On Base Sepolia, gas is paid in test ETH — which is free, and worth nothing in the real world. You'll need a small amount (about $0.01 worth) to plant your tree.

Pick any faucet below — they all do the same thing. Coinbase's is the most generous and reliable, so we'd start there.

On any faucet: connect your MetaMask wallet, make sure Base Sepolia is selected, and click "Request" or "Drip." Test ETH usually arrives within 30 seconds. Confirm by checking your MetaMask balance — you should see ~0.1 ETH appear under Base Sepolia.

USDC is a stablecoin — a digital dollar that's always worth $1. The platform prices each tree at $5 USDC. On testnet, USDC is also free.

Use Circle's official faucet. Circle issues USDC, so their faucet is the most reliable source.

On the faucet:

1. Connect your MetaMask wallet.
2. Select "Base Sepolia" as the network.
3. Select "USDC" as the asset.
4. Request 10 USDC. Wait ~30 seconds.

After it arrives, you might not see USDC in MetaMask yet — that's because tokens need to be added manually. Open MetaMask → Tokens tab → "Import tokens" → paste:

MetaMask should auto-fill the symbol and decimals once you paste the address. Click "Add Token." You'll now see your 10 USDC.

Everything's set up. Now for the fun part — visit the live preview and complete a real on-chain donation.

What to expect, step by step:

1. Click "Connect Wallet". MetaMask pops up — approve the connection.
2. The app verifies you're on Base Sepolia. If you're on the wrong network, it'll prompt you to switch — just click Approve.
3. Choose how many trees you want to plant: 1 tree ($5), 5 trees ($25), or 10 trees ($50). Start with 1 to test.
4. Click the green "Plant 1 Tree — $5" button.
5. MetaMask popup #1 — Approve USDC. This gives the donation contract permission to pull $5 from your wallet. Click Confirm.
6. MetaMask popup #2 — Donate. This is the actual donation + NFT mint. Click Confirm.
7. Wait ~5 seconds. The success screen appears with your transaction hash.
8. Click "View your dashboard →" to see your tree NFT.

Plant a few more if you want — the app handles single donations and bulk donations the same way. Each one mints a new NFT certificate.