Community-Led Forest Restoration

When EcoLogic undertakes reforestation we plant native seedlings and saplings in places where healthy forest used to stand. Many forests grow and replenish themselves naturally when seeds are dispersed from existing trees by wind, birds, and other animal life, but human reforestation and regeneration efforts can speed up this natural process, especially in areas where even short term forest loss will have a significant negative impact on the ecosystem. 

Usually a site where we replant is important as a watershed area, a corridor for wildlife, or a buffer for existing forest. To support reforestation activities EcoLogic helps local communities build nurseries and greenhouses, harvest or buy native tree seeds, and obtain the pots, trays and other materials needed. Our field technicians teach local volunteers about the life cycle of a forest, appropriate watering and care of seedlings, and effective transplanting techniques. 

We and our local partners help to organize regular transplanting efforts or “reforestation days” and use environmental education activities and campaigns to recruit volunteers to expand the effort. We find that planting native trees in degraded areas is as important for the habitat and ecology it helps to restore, as it is for the environmental awareness and appreciation for nature’s processes that it engenders in a community.