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Back To The Roots: Community-based Reforestation Project

Reforestation projects can be an important component of ensuring the well being of the planet in coming decades, but only if they are tailored to the local socio-ecological context and consider potential trade-off. To achieve the desired outcomes, tree-planting efforts must be integrated as one piece of multifaceted approach to address complex environmental problems; be carefully planned to consider where and how to most effectively realize specific project goals; and include a long-term commitment to land protection, management, and funding.

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Successful tree-planting projects require a multiyear commitment to maintaining trees and the other projects to support it, monitoring whether project goals have been achieved, and providing funding for corrective actions if they are not. Using an adaptive management approach will certainly increase the success rate of tree planting. To realize the potential benefits of increasing tree cover, it is essential that tree planting projects include thorough goal setting, community involvement, planning, and implementation, and that the time scale for maintenance and monitoring is sufficient.

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In 2021, following a collaborative effort that involved planting 13,000 trees, and the other 15,000 trees in 2022 alongside the Gawah Bonga Foundation, Invest Islands Foundation embarked on an initiative aimed at fostering sustainability and generating widespread community impact within forested areas. Through extensive project development discussions, we devised the Community-based Reforestation Project (CARES Project), emphasizing the utilization of agroforestry techniques with active community engagement at the forefront. While forests serve as a primary source of livelihood for local communities, they must have comprehensive knowledge in how to take really good care of their forest. Following thorough assessments, it became evident that communities residing in forest-adjacent areas required heightened awareness regarding environmental conservation, transcending the conventional utilization of forested land solely for agricultural purposes.

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The initial phase of the project entails establishing seed nurseries in villages or hamlets directly bordering the forest, which will be overseen by the local community. These nurseries will serve as educational hubs, offering insights into proper tree seedling cultivation and fostering environmental awareness among school children in proximity to the sites. The subsequent phase focuses on empowering women's groups involved in managing forest products, such as coconuts, bananas, and cassava. Our support extends to assisting with product repackaging and marketing strategies. Their top-tier products such as coconut cooking oil, virgin coconut oil, briquette charcoal, cocopeat, coconut bowl, banana chips and cassava chips. The third phase is how to manage the entire community in collective forest protection efforts, including monitoring, watering, and fertilizing newly planted tree seedlings to ensure optimal growth. Furthermore, residents receive tree seedlings for planting on their cultivated lands, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to tree care. We are truly grateful for running this project in Gawah Bongak, Central Lombok. Their youth are super supportive and willing to create the best possible future starting with doing good in their forest. The concluding phase entails a rigorous evaluation process, involving meticulous assessment of tree survival rates through systematic counting methodologies. The primary challenge we face in executing this project revolves around heat stroke, which pose a significant threat to the survival of tree seedlings. Due to our location's elevation, we heavily rely on the rainy season to provide moisture essential for seedling growth. Complicating matters further, farmers frequently utilize the land for livestock passage, occasionally resulting in the consumption of tree seedlings by the animals. Concurrently, any observed instances of tree mortality prompt the strategic replanting of additional tree seedlings to offset losses and bolster overall forest regeneration efforts.

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While planting trees is undoubtedly beneficial for offsetting carbon emissions, it shouldn't be viewed as a standalone solution to combating climate change. It's essential to take swift and significant measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, reforesting areas that were previously forested can be a highly effective strategy to mitigate a portion of human-caused carbon emissions.

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A plethora of articles suggest that tree planting can overcome a host of environmental problems, including climate change, water shortages, and the sixth mass extinction. However, to protect and conserve an existing forest is better than to restore it.

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