Tree growing in Desa'a, Ethiopia

At a glance

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, energy and to feed their cattle. This ambitious – and award winning - project aims to restore and protect arid Afromontane and bring water back to this region, which is directly threatened by desertification coming form 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.

Carbon impact

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 means the annual pressure for fuelwood is estimated to represent more than 23K tons. The immediate consequence is erosion of topsoil and the 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. Letting forests regrow naturally can help absorb 23% of the worlds CO2 emissions every year, research indicates. This process is carried out all year round and serves to promote the natural succession of the forest. Reducing CO2 through 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 run-off and improve soil infiltration.

By combining forest restoration with livelihood improvement programmes, 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.

WeForest

This project is run by WeForest, a non-profit organization that was established in in 2010. WeForest’s mission is to create a world where communities and nature sustainably thrive together to stop global warming in our lifetime. WeForest works towards this goal by conserving and restoring the ecological integrity of forest. Their goal is to reach over 100 million trees – equivalent to around 85.000 hectares – restored or conserved by the end of 2024, thereby making a significant contribution to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.