Since beginning work with rural communities in August 2019, we have planted nearly 280 hectares of new woodland whilst also securing of over 100,000 hectares of wilderness under new long-term leases. This is an ambitious endeavor with the goal of restoring indigenous woodland at a rate of 1000 hectares per year, preserving existing woodland within communities, and protecting large intact wilderness concessions from threats to habitat and biodiversity. Although it has only been two planting seasons, the project has already seen encouraging results and a great appetite from communities for large-scale restoration. These efforts will help ensure vulnerable habitats and once iconic wildlife populations are protected for generations to come.

Our tree planting programme takes a holistic approach to meet the needs of local communities. We not only provide households with seedlings to plant in their own land, but also support them by providing training and technical assistance throughout the tree development process. We also support local growers by providing them with an income for the successful stewardship of trees for at least three years. This provides communities with a steady additional income which contributes to the development of a green economy. The enthusiasm of the men, women and youth involved in MyTrees activities has been an important catalyst for the project.