3 Million Trees Planted to Protect Chimpanzees’ Home

As part of an ambitious reforestation project, 3 million trees will be added to the forests of western Uganda to restore the habitat of endangered chimpanzees and ensure the long-term protection of ape populations.

“We need to protect the existing forests. We need to try and restore the forest and the land around the forest that has not been degraded for too long, where the seeds and roots in the ground can sprout up and once again reclaim that land and make it an amazing forest ecosystem,” says Dr. Jane Goodall whose Institute formed a strategic partnership with the reforestation non-profit One Tree Planted to launch the “Wildlife Habitat & Corridor Restoration Project” which aims at reforesting the Albertine Rift Forests.

This important ecoregion is the home of not only endangered chimpanzees but also to 50% of birds, 39% of mammals, 19% of amphibians, and 14% of reptiles and plants of mainland Africa. Through this project, native seeds will be seeded, devastated zones will be rebuilt, farmers will be educated on how to integrate trees into their practices, and technology and training will be provided so the forests can be monitored.