Reforestation for
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth at all levels, from genes to ecosystems, and all the processes that sustain life. The interconnectedness of ecosystems and their living organisms means that millions of species of plants, animals, and fungi depend on each other for survival — including us. Whether we realize it or not, we rely on global biodiversity to meet many of our basic needs, thanks to ecosystem services such as pollination and climate regulation.
Global biodiversity faces many threats, including invasive species, climate change, habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, and pollution. Today, over 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction — many within the next few decades. Healthy forests encompass richly layered habitat types and shelter a breathtaking range of biodiversity — including 80% of all land-based species. In the context of a changing climate and a growing global population, it's critical to protect and restore our world’s wild places — including forests.
Biodiversity Stats
8.7m
SPECIES
There are an estimated 8.7 million species of plants and animals on Earth.
How many species on Earth? About 8.7 million, new estimate says, ScienceDaily
36
Biodiversity hotspots
There are 36 biodiversity hotspots around the world that contain over half of the world’s plants and 43% of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species.
Biodiversity Hotspots, Conservation International
Habitat
For biodiversity
Forests contain 80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species, and 68% of mammal species on land.
Earth’s Biodiversity Depends on the World’s Forests, UN World Environment Programme
1m
Species threatened
Today, over 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction.
UN Report: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’, United Nations
73%
Decline
Wildlife populations alone have declined by an average of 73% between 1970-2020.
Living Planet Report, WWF
Project Highlights
Reforestation can restore critical biodiversity habitats and corridors, supporting the survival of threatened and endangered species. Learn about three recent reforestation projects that planted trees for biodiversity!
The Albertine Rift, Uganda, Africa
This project worked with the Jane Goodall Institute to plant three million trees in Uganda as part of a wider conservation effort to restore critical chimpanzee habitat and provide biological corridors for them to safely move between forests. Uganda's Albertine Rift is globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot; over 50% of birds, 39% of mammals, 19% of amphibians, and 14% of reptiles and plants on mainland Africa reside in this region.
The Southwest of Western Australia, Australia
The southwest of Western Australia is an internationally recognized top 25 Biodiversity Hotspot. Many of the species in this region hail from prehistoric times, as it has been unglaciated for more than 250 Million years! Unfortunately, this region has been over-cleared for the development of broad-acre agriculture, and now the remaining ecosystems are fragmented. Expansion and buffering will support their persistence and resilience into the future.
Orca Whale Project, Pacific Northwest, USA
Every year, as Endangered Southern Resident Orcas migrate North to South and back again, they rely on West Coast Chinook salmon for food (nearly 80% of their diet). Salmon stocks are diminishing due to loss of habitat and increasing pollution — ultimately impacting the Orca downstream. This project planted trees across the Pacific Northwest to improve water quality and therefore improve the health and quantity of salmon available for the orca to eat.