Tree growing in Desa'a, Ethiopia

Why this project?

The Desa’a Forest is one of the oldest remaining dry Afromontane forests in Ethiopia. Over 26,000 people live below the poverty line here, relying on the forest for water and energy and to feed their cattle. This ambitious—and award-winning - project aims to restore and protect the arid Afromontane and bring water back to this region, which is directly threatened by desertification coming from the north, and lift the rural communities out of extreme poverty. WeForest's goal is to create a world where communities and nature sustainably thrive together to stop global warming in our lifetime.

Combating climate change

The Desa’a forest reserve is home to many threatened species and plays an important role in climate adaptation and water supply in a region directly threatened by desertification from the north and east. Currently, 74% of the forest has disappeared, and the remaining 26% is severely degraded. Forest-dependent communities gather wood, trees, leaves, and undergrowth from the forest for fuel, and combined with the use of traditional, inefficient stoves, it means the annual pressure for fuelwood is estimated to represent more than 23K tons. The immediate consequence is erosion of topsoil and a significant reduction of agricultural yields for smallholder farmers. Even more alarming is the possible long-term impact on local cloud formation and rainfall, causing more frequent droughts and food insecurity.

The tree planting and restoration methods ensure that resources such as soil and water are improved by the presence of the trees, which also sequester carbon as they grow. This process is carried out all year round and serves to promote the natural succession of the forest. Carbon sequestration activities also contribute to reduced erosion, lower landslide risk, and flood or drought mitigation.

Co-benefits

WeForest has been working since 2016 to directly restore and protect nearly 40,000 ha of the forest through Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) and Enrichment Planting. They select species that serve multiple purposes in the forest and for the communities, generating a combination of social, economic, and environmental benefits. Examples are olive (Olea europaea), juniper (Juniperus procera), and briar root (Erica arborea), which are combined with different grass species for fodder and to reduce erosion. Furthermore, soil and water conservation structures are built to reduce runoff and improve soil infiltration.

By combining forest restoration with livelihood improvement programs, WeForest focuses on improving natural resource governance and the socio-economic resilience of communities living in and around the forest, with a special focus on women, the landless, subsistence farmers, and youth. Examples of income-generating activities are beekeeping, poultry, sheep, high-value trees and vegetable seeds, efficient cookstoves, solar lights, and the employment of forest guards. The project also establishes and strengthens rural schools’ environmental clubs.