Africa: Steady advancement in vast forest restoration initiative

A large-scale tree-planting movement is gaining momentum in Africa, where thousands of farmers are transforming barren fields into vibrant, diverse forest gardens. These gardens not only feed families but also enhance soil quality and increase tree cover.

The initiative, known as Trees for the Future (TREES), has revitalized over 41,000 hectares (approximately 101,000 acres) since 2015 – an area seven times the size of Manhattan, as reported by the Guardian. This nonprofit organization is planting tens of millions of trees each year across nine countries, from Senegal to Kenya, with a goal of creating 230,000 jobs and planting a billion trees by 2030.

Earlier this year, the United Nations Environment Programme recognized TREES as a World Restoration Flagship, according to the Guardian.

So, how does this initiative work? TREES provides smallholder farmers with training, seeds, tools, and grants to cultivate “forest gardens” rather than traditional monocultures. Encouraging biodiversity protects soil health. Farmers receive ongoing support from lead farmers to cultivate plots containing around 5,800 diverse trees per hectare (2.5 acres).

TREES is also a part of the African Union’s Great Green Wall initiative, an ambitious 8,000-kilometer (roughly 5,000-mile) expanse of vegetation designed to combat desertification. According to the Guardian, “This will be the largest natural structure on the planet.”