How the Restoration Economy Can Incentivize Growing Trees

Sofia Faruqi & Will Anderson | | May 14, 2020 | 3 min read

How do we simultaneously fight climate change and improve food security? Is there a way for us to protect wildlife while creating jobs? What about better air and water quality?

The answer: landscape restoration.

Restoring degraded land by growing trees in forests and on farms not only benefits the environment, it is also a major economic opportunity for people living in rural areas. Trees that grow and protect crops like coffee and cocoa, for example, provide a lifeline for communities and help them tap into growing sustainable supply chains.

The global restoration movement has so far been led and funded primarily by governments that have pledged to restore over 170 million hectares of degraded land – an area the size of Libya – through alliances like AFR100 in Africa and Initiative 20x20 in Latin America and the Caribbean. But that political commitment hasn’t yet been matched by private sector excitement. To unlock that funding, restoration needs to deliver a financial return.

At WRI, we are working to make restoration profitable and capable of attracting private investment. By making the economic case, we are catalyzing a growing space with the potential to deliver significant financial, environmental, and social returns. The recent announcement of ambitious programs like the Priceless Planet Coalition, which aims to grow 100 million trees, and the global Trillion Trees  coalition is giving the movement a new wind. And One Tree Planted added 4 million trees to landscapes just last year.

Fortunately, WRI is not working alone to build this new restoration economy. Hundreds of entrepreneurs – over 500 in Africa alone – are already hard at work aiming to make the restoration of land a practical and profitable endeavor. Some of these businesses are profiled in the Business of Planting Trees, a report from WRI and the Nature Conservancy.

But the path forward is not easy. The Roots of Prosperity report identified that there are serious barriers that these businesses need to overcome to scale up. In particular, entrepreneurs lack access to the capital, training, and mentoring they need to succeed, as well as the technical training that they need to pitch investors effectively, build strong business plans, and communicate about their work.

Land Accelerator
Land Accelerator Group

That’s why we created the Land Accelerator, a bootcamp for entrepreneurs whose businesses restore land, create jobs, and turn a profit. The 26 fellows in Africa that have completed the Land Accelerator, like Mavis Nduchwa of Kalahari Honey, whose business sells high-quality honey products grown under a canopy of trees in dry Botswana, have so far raised more than $500,000. To build on this momentum, we are continuing the Land Accelerator in Africa and expanding the program to Latin America and South Asia.

These entrepreneurs have inspired us to step up our effort to grow this economy, and we hope their stories can inspire you, too. Some of the world’s most innovative companies have come out of periods of crisis. If you have an idea for a business that heals the Earth, this is the moment where market opportunity meets planetary need. For a real restoration economy to bloom, we need thousands of people united to build a brighter future.

Applications are open for the Land Accelerator. Please go here for more details!

Longleaf Pine Main Image
Longleaf Pine Restoration
Longleaf Pine Tree Planter
Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most
Longleaf Pine Landscape
Longleaf Pine Planting
Longleaf Pine Main Image
Longleaf Pine Restoration
Longleaf Pine Tree Planter
Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most
Longleaf Pine Landscape
Longleaf Pine Planting

Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most

As the need for reforestation is global and ever-changing, we feature where trees are most needed now. This project is currently supporting Longleaf Pine Restoration. Learn more

With your help, we will:

  • Protect wildlife habitat and increase biodiversity
  • Restore essential watersheds for soil stability and erosion control
  • Sequester carbon in the biomass of the forests through climate stability
  • Longleaf pine forests are among the most biodiverse in North America and provide habitat for numerous threatened and endangered species. Longleaf pine forests are well-adapted to a warming climate as longleaf pine is a resilient species that is fire-dependent, drought-tolerant, and long-lived. Reforestation of longleaf pine ecosystems- to increase, maintain, and enhance the species- has been identified as a priority area within America's Longleaf Range Wide Conservation Plan. 🌲
  • Our longleaf pine reforestation project will restore habitats, control soil erosion, and sequester carbon in an effort to stabilize the climate in the area. Not only will wildlife benefit from the clean air and water provided by the planted trees, but the surrounding community will, too. This project will work with a variety of landowners whose responsible forest management and stewardship will only further increase the benefits for species residing on the lands. Some of the most notable species that will benefit from habitat restoration include gopher tortoises, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and eastern indigo snakes
  • A personalized tree certificate (see gallery) to say thanks for your donation. We'll also send you updates about our Longleaf Pine Restoration project, so you can track the impact your trees are having on the ground!
  • We always plant a mix of diverse, native species from local nurseries. This project is working to replenish longleaf forests, so the native species grown in the nurseries will mainly be longleaf pine, but also include shortleaf pine and loblolly pine.

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