WeForest

New York Climate Week 🌍 We’re excited to see the world come together for #ClimateWeekNYC. This year's theme - #ItsTime - highlights the importance of accelerating innovation in energy storage, infrastructure and low-carbon production. We’re a few days in and so we have seen some brilliant discussions on these sustainability solutions, but it’s equally important to remember that nature-based solutions are already making an impact on the ground. Forest restoration provides immediate, tangible benefits for both the environment and local communities.  At WeForest, we’re working in areas like miombo woodlands of southern Africa - sometimes called “the largest forest you’ve never heard of” compared to more famous forest types such as rainforests - to restore landscapes and work with thousands of families to manage these essential ecosystems. These ‘forgotten’ miombo woodlands store significant amounts of carbon – more than previously thought – and play a critical role in biodiversity and climate resilience. Covering large parts of Africa, they support both wildlife and local people, yet they are under severe threat from agricultural expansion and illegal logging. By actively working on the ground to restore these forests, we’re not only tackling carbon sequestration but also ensuring that communities have access to sustainable livelihoods, such as sustainable farming and forestry practices. As the world focuses on future technologies, let’s not forget the power of nature in the fight against climate change. Nature is the most  scalable, flexible and affordable solution we currently have to create lasting change 🌿 To learn more, see the link in our comments of a recent study that shows just how crucial the miombo woodlands are 📑 📷: Ruben Foquet  #climateaction #miombowoodlands #naturebasedsolutions

Tropical deforestation undermines global forest gains 🌳 Global forests are absorbing more carbon than ever, but two-thirds of these gains are being negated by tropical deforestation. A recent study published in Nature Magazine, led by the USDA Forest Service, shows that while global forests are sequestering more carbon overall, tropical deforestation is offsetting much of this progress. Although temperate and tropical regrowth forests are making positive strides, disturbances in boreal and tropical intact forests are reducing their carbon absorption capacity. This research highlights the urgent need to halt deforestation and degradation to protect our planet’s carbon sinks. At WeForest, we’re working alongside local communities to restore and protect vital dry tropical forests, from the Atlantic Forest in Brazil to the Miombo woodlands of Zambia and Malawi. By working with the people who live in and depend on these forests, we’re ensuring they lead the fight against climate change. The link to the full study can be found in our comments ⬇ Image 📷: Ruben Foquet #carbonsequestration #tropicalforests #onlyoneearth

A satellite perspective 🌍 You know we love sharing before and after photos of our restoration work, but today we’ve got something a little different! Check out these satellite images from Pontal, Brazil, where we're working with IPÊ - Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas to reconnect forest fragments in the Atlantic Forest. In the first image from 2021 you can see just a few isolated trees. Fast forward to 2024, and the site is now thriving with saplings and shrubs, creating green corridors for endangered species. Our combined methods of natural regeneration and enrichment planting are helping the forest, wildlife and local communities flourish 💚 📷: explorer.land by OpenForests #restoration #reforestation #climatechange

Women are a key part of restoration 🌳 Over the last 15 years, we’ve worked directly with more than 300 communities to grow 100 million trees in some of the world’s poorest regions. A key factor in this success has been our approach to working with women, who are strong catalysts for change. We adapt our training and workshops to fit women’s schedules, recognising their household responsibilities. We carefully select meeting locations, ensuring they are accessible for women, who often walk to attend while balancing childcare. Our projects also focus on family well-being, with initiatives including: 🥘 The provision of efficient cookstoves – reducing the burden of wood collection and the health risks associated with traditional cooking methods 🐓 Livestock distribution – traditionally managed by women, animal husbandry boosts household income and provides economic resilience, especially in regions like Ethiopia where it can double a family’s income True climate change happens when we create opportunities with women in mind 💚 📷: Ruben Foquet #women #restoration #reforestation

In the news 🗞️ A recent study has revealed that the world’s trees also absorb methane - a potent greenhouse gas that is 28 times stronger than carbon dioxide.  This gives us yet another reason to value forests in the climate fight. The study found that trees globally absorb between 25 and 50 million tonnes of methane each year, with tropical forests leading the way. This makes temperate and tropical trees 7-12% more effective for the climate. The importance of trees just keeps on growing! 🌳 📷: IPÊ #tropicalforests #restoration #reforestation

A positive story to start your work week off right 💼 Last week, we received this inspiring photo of Abdulahy-si, an active member of the communities involved in our Ferlo project with Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF-CICDA) in Senegal. The team is currently planting Baobab trees, and Abdulahy-si shared his motivations: “We do this work… to have better rain, enough feed for our livestock, and enough food.” This reminds us that restoration isn’t just about the climate - it’s about people too. That’s why our ethos is restoration for people, nature, and climate; all inextricably linked. By working closely with local communities and people like Abdulahy-si, we’re continually reminded that looking after the planet means it will look after you too 💚 Photo: © Aklilu Negussie Mekuria (PhD) #Restoration #Reforestation #PositiveNews

Meet Marcela and her team in their tree nursery in Pontal, Brazil 🌱 We visited Marcela (pictured right) in her nursery earlier this year and found that she has nearly doubled her production capacity from 2023; her nursery is now able to produce 700 000 seedlings per year! Many of these seedlings will play their part in the work we’re carrying out with IPÊ - Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas to connect forest corridors in the area, creating more space and migration routes so that endangered species can thrive again. It’s women like Marcela who are building a better future for our planet, and all the creatures that call it home 🌍 Video footage 🎞️: IPÊ

Nature always finds a way 🍉 We absolutely love these photos of wild watermelons growing at our Labgar restoration site in Ferlo, Senegal. The watermelons sprang up unexpectedly, thanks to seeds that were hidden in the organic manure used to nurture this year's tree seedlings. Their success was surprising given the low rainfall in this region, but nature always finds a way and reveals the opportunities that can be harnessed 💚 📷: Aklilu Negussie Mekuria

Exciting progress from our Wof Washa project in Ethiopia 🌿 The first tree planting has started, led by the community and supported by the local government. Here, Mulunesh, a member of the Wof Washa Village Participatory Forest Management Cooperative, takes part in the planting activities at Wof Washa forest. So far, 141 858 multipurpose trees have been planted across 35.7 hectares for agroforestry, with nearly 498 farmers participating in the agroforestry package. Additionally, 330 hectares of the Wof Washa forest are under restoration management, and enrichment planting is underway 💚 This is a fantastic step forward in our mission to restore landscapes and support sustainable livelihoods 🌍

We absolutely love this recent article in The Guardian, as it reinforces what WeForest believes and practices in our projects across the world 🌍 A recent study led by Dr. Trisha Gopalakrishna, published in PNAS, confirms that environmental projects can successfully benefit both nature and people when designed with an ‘integrated’ approach. This means combining goals like carbon capture, biodiversity restoration, and supporting local livelihoods. The research found that these integrated strategies could achieve over 80% of the desired outcomes across all three areas simultaneously. Our mission is to conserve and restore forest landscapes with local communities, delivering lasting solutions that benefit everyone. Whether it’s restoring the Atlantic Forest with climate-friendly livelihoods or supporting female-led micro-businesses like honey harvesting in Zambia, we know that restoration isn’t just about the climate - it’s about communities too. That’s why our ethos is to restore land for people, nature, and climate; all are inextricably linked. By working closely with local communities and championing individuals, we’re reminded that when we take care of the planet, it takes care of us too 💚 📰: https://lnkd.in/eByM2mEX #climatesolutions #oneearth #carboncapture