At Ecologi, every member funds what they term as ‘Core trees’. These sites allow members to create the largest amount of climate impact, for the best value. 

This question applies primarily to  projects operated by Eden Reforestation Projects around the world.

In order for a planting site to be developed, the native population must have explicitly agreed to the project and must benefit from the project in its entirety.

With planting in Madagascar, the project is done with permission from the owners of the indigenous land, in conjunction with the government.

Local communities benefit from many aspects of the project, such as 2.4 million work days that have been created, access to fruit harvesting, and many other economic benefits of restoring deforested land.

We understand customers' concerns regarding their funds supporting poor reforestation methods, after all, no one wants to be causing more harm than good. With news articles highlighting these poor reforestation approaches, it is important to reassure members of the measures Ecologi takes to ensure that responsible reforestation is happening at our sites.

At Ecologi, they too believe that monoculture forests and non-native species do not fall under the category of responsible reforestation. The species of trees planted varies from site to site depending on factors including geographical location, existing habitat, current biodiversity, ecosystem services, and benefits to local communities.

For example, in coastal planting sites in Madagascar, partners primarily plant mangroves. However, in total,  Eden Reforestation Projects plant over 50 different species, including Avicinia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal and Bruguiera gymnoohiza. To learn more about our Madagascan planting sites.

Furthermore, Ecologi also ensure that planting only takes place during favourable seasonal conditions. Doing this through the guidance of trusted reforestation partners who engage with and incorporate local communities and their knowledge into the planting process. Once planting is complete, local communities are able to reap the benefits of the trees, as well as develop a sense of custodianship for the trees they've planted 🌳

Tree survival

Ecologie understands the importance of taking precautions to ensure the highest possible survivability rate of the trees funded through projects. This is achieved by carefully selecting planting partners and maintaining strong relationships with them. Receiving regular updates, including photos and the latest developments from the ground at each of their sites.

Several factors contribute to their confidence in the survival of the planted trees:

• Partners are regularly audited by third parties, and publish internal reports with updates and data from the planting sites.

• Using native trees that thrive within the local environment, planted by experienced local planters.

• Selecting partners that are experienced in local conditions, and can minimise damage from events that threaten the survivability of the trees.

All of these factors allow an expected survival rate of 80% in the projects funded. However, this figure varies depending on a number of factors including; location, specie of tree and local conditions.

🌴 Did you know? Between years three and five the young mangrove trees in Madagascan site begin to produce their own propagules (baby mangrove trees) resulting in a proliferation of natural regeneration. Multiple studies demonstrate the initial survival rate (80%) combined with natural regeneration results in a luxuriant impact ranging between 150 and 500 per cent 🤩

Forest fires

With tree planting, unfortunately, there is often a very small risk of forest fires leading to a loss of trees. To minimise the risk of this, Ecologi take great steps to minimise the risks, some of these steps are:

• Screening the site for risk before agreeing to support the site.

• Carrying out checks to ensure the project partner is the best in class and that they plant ecologically appropriate trees.

• Once a site is up and running, they ensure that planting partners carry out regular monitoring to ensure the planting success and control of fire risks.

Should the worst happen and a forest fire does destroy trees at one of the sites, Ecologi have a contingency fund to ensure that wherever damages or loss of sites might occur, they can quickly respond by restoring either the affected site or replacing the impact with impact elsewhere.