EASE members renewing their subscriptions promptly plant 266 new trees in Uganda.
Through our planting partners, Plant for the Planet, we are delighted to have planted 266 new trees in a restoration project managed by Trees4Humanity. The main milestone of this project is the biodegradable system that their team have developed, which allows them to avoid the use of many plastics and generate added value to local communities.
Trees4Humanity has a long history of collaboration with restoration organizations in Uganda. This example showcased their work with Transformed for Life. A local partner organization with serious and passionate will for implementation of restoration and nature conservation. The projects are excellent active restoration with a tendency to only indigenous trees. The site rehabilitation follow larger goals of nature conservation and livelihood improvement and are best practice examples for restoration which will inspire many.
For years one of the main challenges in reforestation projects was the tons of plastics used. We have developed, tested, and validated a system that avoids the use of plastics and generates a sustainable source of income for the nearby local communities with the manufacturing of the biodegradable pots. Our three pillars are: – Ecosystems: The project is located in an area that has suffered 95% deforestation in recent years. There are two families of chimpanzees struggling because they do not have enough space and food, which forces them to have to go out to eat in the nearby plantations, generating conflicts with the locals. The project consists of recovering these degraded areas and creating forest corridors. – Waste: The hundreds of thousands of plastic bags used for planting have always seemed a bit contradictory to us. We have found a solution that is simple but yet very effective. By using the dry banana leaves to make an organic bag. With this, we not only avoid generating all that plastic waste, but we also generate income in local communities. – People: An environmental recovery project cannot be understood without integrating people and looking for alternative ways so that they can earn a living from protecting nature. These sources include both the labor to plant the trees, guide tourists and scientists to see the chimpanzees and the manufacturing of the pots. Thanks to the manufacture of these pots we are employing women at risk of exclusion. Currently, the project generates sustenance for 1,500 families.
Watch our short video about the banana leaf pots
This initiative is part of EASE’s commitment to support the SDG Publishers Compact and the United Nations sustainable development goals. Together with Plant-for-the-Planet, this action supports at least seven of these goals.