Reforestation: the answer to saving our forests?

After the oceans, forests are the planet's second-largest carbon sink and a precious haven for biodiversity. They play a vital role in our survival on Earth. Sadly, deforestation is happening at an alarming pace, threatening our ecosystem and making climate change worse. In two decades, the world's forests have "lost almost 100 million hectares". This massive deforestation is driven largely by human activities such as agriculture. We urgently need to protect and preserve the forests we still have.

How can we support reforestation effectively without doing more harm than good? Find out how reforestation can be a powerful tool for protecting our planet and building a sustainable future.

The limits of reforestation

To tackle global warming, large-scale reforestation projects encouraging tree planting are springing up in France and around the world. But what exactly is reforestation? It means restoring a forest ecosystem by planting and/or sowing seeds on former woodland that has been degraded. Why does it matter so much? The natural benefits are many: it helps prevent erosion and keeps water in the soil, and it protects the many animal and plant species affected by deforestation, not to mention forests' ability to absorb carbon. According to studies, a newly planted tree can store between 10 and 50 kg of CO2 a year.

But planting trees as a miracle cure for climate change is not that simple. Many initiatives have done harm because they were carried out without method or careful thought. In November 2019, for example, Turkey launched a reforestation plan to plant 11 million trees across the country. Just two months later, 90% of the fir trees had already died from drought.

One thing is clear: simply planting trees is not enough to save the climate. It is more complex than that if we don't want to achieve the opposite effect. The challenge is plain to see: to carry out lasting reforestation with a positive impact. To do so, several key factors must be taken into account and respected. In short, every tree must be planted in soil that suits it, then protected and cared for. The project must also consider the needs of local communities and make sure they are involved.

Our reforestation projects with a positive impact

When a reforestation project is done properly, it can bring real benefits, both for the environment and for people. For several years, we have been working through our SAPOUSSE programme: a planting project that supports reforestation while giving local people a livelihood. We call this "the economic tree", a key concept that guides everything we do and helps local communities become self-reliant.

Since November 2022, we have been working in Indonesia on a reforestation project in North Sumatra, due to end in October 2023. It is currently under way in the Aceh region, specifically in the villages of Sungai Pauh, Seurige and Kuala Langsa, to the delight of 90 families. In all, 50,000 mangrove seedlings, covering 20 hectares, have been planted in coastal and river areas to restore one of the most precious and threatened ecosystems on our planet.

Thanks to this reforestation project, local people have developed income-generating activities

that will greatly improve families' living conditions. These include traditional silvofishery, producing fruit from the mangroves, and "batik" dyeing. The villagers receive ongoing support to make sure the project lasts. They are trained in forestry and food production, and are helped to find market access to sell their crafts and harvests.

By involving and supporting local communities, we ensure the trees are managed sustainably and so survive for the long term.

Would you like to fight deforestation and leave a positive mark too? Join us!