Focal Area
Reforestation
Reforestation
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.”
The disappearance of forests is increasingly leading to soil erosion in Ethiopia. The fertile soil is washed away, threatening the fields and thus the people's harvests. Together with the population, we are establishing large reforestation areas and implementing measures to protect natural resources.
Help bring back the forest. For a greener future!
Help bring back the forest. For a greener future!
We work closely with the local people during our reforestation projects. Learn more about their stories:
As part of our projects with the local population, large areas are reforested and protected. On courses, we provide people with the necessary knowledge of how to maintain and preserve the reforested areas.
Hope takes root
Currently, only about 15% of Ethiopia's land area is forested. The consequences of deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change are a daily reality in the project regions of Menschen für Menschen. Trees help to counteract these problems and secure the livelihood of many families. Trees provide shade and their roots fix the soil. As a result, water and nutrients are better stored. The erosion of fertile soil by wind and weather is stopped with the help of the tree roots and the meager harvests of the farmers improve. Reforestation is therefore one of the most important measures for creating a stable foundation for further development in entire regions.Hope takes root
Currently, only about 15% of Ethiopia's land area is forested. The consequences of deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change are a daily reality in the project regions of Menschen für Menschen. Trees help to counteract these problems and secure the livelihood of many families. Trees provide shade and their roots fix the soil. As a result, water and nutrients are better stored. The erosion of fertile soil by wind and weather is stopped with the help of the tree roots and the meager harvests of the farmers improve. Reforestation is therefore one of the most important measures for creating a stable foundation for further development in entire regions.What we do
We implement various measures to protect natural resources in the regions:
We create large-scale reforestation areas
We establish nurseries and raise saplings
We combat erosion, e.g. through terracing
We hand out fuel-efficient, “green” stoves
We educate local people about reforestation and environmental protection
From sapling to shady tree
Before the saplings are strong enough to thrive in the wild, they grow in the nurseries of Menschen für Menschen. There, tree species, grasses and shrubs with a range of different characteristics and benefits are grown: shrubs that are good for slope stabilization, grasses that serve as a source of fodder for livestock, fruit trees that become important sources of vitamins and income for families, or trees that return important nutrients to the soil in large reforestation areas.
#1Like1Tree 2020: Together we are bringing back the forest!
In order to also raise awareness in Austria for the importance of reforestation in Ethiopia and the significance of trees, in 2020 Menschen für Menschen ran the social media campaign #1Like1Tree for the fourth time. Over a period of more than five weeks, we collected likes on Facebook and Instagram, which will be turned into trees in Ethiopia in the coming months. This is made possible by the Graz-based travel company Cooltours, which is supporting us for the fourth time with a donation for our reforestation projects. In 2020, a total of 14,460 likes - and thus saplings - were collected which will soon improve the lives of families in Ethiopia.
What we have achieved:
296.11 M saplings
The entire Menschen für Menschen organization has already planted more than 296.11 M saplings and reforested over 15,671 hectares of forest. The trees grow into dense forests and improve soil quality, providing water and better nutrition.
755 tree nurseries
Menschen für Menschen has so far established 755 tree nurseries where trees are grown for reforestation, as are fruit trees or vetiver grass, which is also used for soil conservation.
59,546 kilometers of stone and earth walls
Together with the population, more than 59,546 kilometers of stone and earth embankments have already been built to protect against soil erosion.