Restoring Land, Planting Trees and Creating Jobs: A Massive Reforestation Win

A mass reforestation campaign has officially restored more than 41,000 hectares of land across Africa in less than ten years.

“Initiatives like TREES are playing an important role in reversing decades of ecosystem degradation, especially across the Sahel, pushing back desertification, increasing climate resilience, and improving the wellbeing of farmers and their communities,” says Inger Andersen, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

What’s more, UNEP has officially awarded Trees for the Future (TREES) the status of World Restoration Flagship. The program stands out among other similar programs thanks to its effectiveness. Since the program was founded in 2015, tens of millions of trees have been planted yearly in nine countries, including Senegal, Mali, Tanzania, and Kenya. By 2030, TREES hopes to have created 230,000 jobs and planted a billion trees. One particular advantage of the program’s approach is that local farmers get involved in the planting and maintaining the trees, allowing the progress to continue even when TREES members are no longer directly involved.