Photography by Mangroves Eden Reforestation Projects

It is important to note that this metric is time limited. The figure becomes obsolete after about 10-20 years. The tree seedlings that are planted and the seeds that are naturally germinating and growing tree seedlings during the project funding period, are not necessarily representative of what the forest will look like 25 years from now. Through time, some species that were initially planted will start decreasing in number and be replaced by other species. Some species will start dominating in sizes. The number of trees understorey will start decreasing drastically. Hence, the structure and the tree species composition will be very different when the forest reaches a more mature stage in about 40-50 years since the first trees' establishment.

The number of trees funded is more accurate for projects that work towards a number of trees goal. That's the case with projects that use Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) —a forest recovery method which aims to help forests recover or regenerate faster than they would naturally and with low interventions. It consist of suppressing any factors that prevents tree seeds from germinating, surviving, and growing, and thus stopping forests from taking root. In this case, the cost per tree relates to the recovery activities that are implemented to ensure the target goal, and the trees may take 2-3 years and up to 25 years to become established.

Hence, a lot of care and monitoring is needed in the first years of tree establishment, as well as tree replacement when losses occur. As an illustration, the International Tree Foundation project in Kenya agreed to address tree mortality by planting replacement trees when the survival rate is less than 90%. They are prepared to predictable damages, but for obvious reasons, they can't replace beyond to a certain damage extent (that would not be predictable and will not be financially possible). For tree seedlings that are part of agroforestry schemes—trees that are intercropped with the farmers' own crops for the first years of the tree's establishment, the tree seedlings are taken care of by the farmers themselves.

While the majority of the funded trees are already established and establishing, some of the trees are not yet in the ground. Some will be planted within a year. Others will grow at the pace of Nature under ANR and may take several years to fully establish.

Photograph of seedlings Unknown

Photograph of saplings ITF

Projects are not necessarily all operational at their onset. While we only engage with new partners on operational and running projects —that have been in existence for at least 5 years and have achieved measurable impacts (2), we may engage with our current trusted and tested partners, based on a proposal. That is possible only if the project is based on the collaboration with a local experienced and successful organization with proven past experience from past and/or pilot projects that were run for at least 5 years and has achieved measurable impacts.

While all the proposed activities to be carried out not unknown to the project proponent and associated experienced local partner(s), the project team will have to build the necessary project's capacity and supporting systems at the project onset, by to teaming it up with additional partners for integration purpose, recruit more people (staff and labour), set-up the tree nurseries, training people, acquire the required materials for the tree nursery and onsite restoration works.

Let's illustrate that further with "The Mount Bamboutos Initiative - South West Cameroon". TreeSisters has been involved with the project holder, International Tree Foundation (ITF), in Kenya since September 1st, 2016. While ITF is working for the first time in Lebialem, Cameroon, the work is executed by Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF) which is a non-profit founded in 1999, dedicated to the conservation of wildlife, and protection of fragile environments through research, training, education and community engagement.

The first tree seedlings will be planted April-July 2019, so a bit more than 1 year after the project's start (April 1st, 2018). What has been achieved so far? From the project's onset, TreeSisters' funding has been used to establish the tree nurseries and run other project activities as described in the blog here. Tree seedlings have been raised in the tree nurseries from collected seeds, and naturally germinated seedlings (wildings) have been collected from nearby forest areas. These are waiting for the coming wet season to be transplanted to the field.

Assisted Natural Regeneration

As of today, trees (potentially) regenerating under ANR method represent 10% of the total of our funded trees.

This is the case for 2 projects:
WeForest in the Khasi Hills here;
WeForest in Brazil here.

Under ANR, it is going to take time for the forest to take root and thus time before the number of trees funded all establish one after one. Forest will regenerate at an accelerated pace, following forest succession—a natural gradual process which leads to a stable old-growth forest which implies species composition and structure change over time.

Photograph of tree technician at Mt. Bamboutus ERuDEf

Photograph at WeForest nurery by IPE

In fact, projects that conduct ANR forest recovery work towards a defined restoration goal that is to reach the same tree density and composition as neighbouring natural forest over a defined period. As an illustration, our partner WeForest does this in Brazil. They work towards reaching the same forest composition and structure as in the neighbouring old-growth remnant Atlantic forest in 25 years (approximately 1,500-2,000 trees per hectare).

What are they doing then with our donations? Essentially, ANR projects help seeds germinate and ensure tree seedlings' survival and growth, by counteracting limiting factors such as lack of beneficial shade. As an illustration, our partner WeForest in Brazil does the following:

• area isolation and protection (fencing and firebreaks);
• increasing incoming seeds brought by birds;
• keeping invasive African grass and tree leaf-cutting ants off the regenerating trees;
• and providing the people with (in-kind) incentives or support to keep them away from the regenerating forest.

Well ... think twice! It is important for you to understand that our tree planting projects plant a majority of native pioneer species or fast growing native species to shade out and cover very degraded lands, in order to jump start the process of natural forest succession. This means that all trees that get planted will be replaced after some years by other native tree species that will germinate and grow when the forest reaches a more mature stage. As a consequence, the trees you think you'd planted will be bypassed by Nature herself. Nature will continue the forest restoration work, recruiting more trees, both in count and number of species than our projects. Something we are not able to do ourselves; something bigger than my "personal credit".

Moreover, it is important to note that ANR is known as a cost-effective carbon uptake method in comparison with regular planting projects. (3) The restoration success is higher in terms of biodiversity and forest structure in ANR in comparison with projects which only plant trees. (4) Moreover, trees established from ANR are stronger because they are more locally adapted with a stronger root system in comparison with transplanted tree seedlings where root systems get damaged, which is particularly important in the first years of tree establishment.

Photograph of shade trees by Lauriane Cayet-Boisrobert

Lauriane Cayet-Boisrobert is our Reforestation Manager. She develops and manages our reforestation projects portfolio. She started by co-developing TreeSisters' forest strategy and project selection process. Lauriane is passionate about the many cultures on Earth. She tries to live in harmony with the Earth; so the Earth must stay wild and generous to us all. She feels deeply sad when the Earth is been abused at all prices, and mostly at the expenses of the people who rely on it. 

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