Ethiopia
By working with the local community, we will plant trees across 10,000 hectares to help restore degraded landscapes, increase water resources, and decrease the impact of landslides while providing fair wage employment to communities in need.
A view of the Omo River on the road to Dawro.
Why restore in Ethiopia?
Inequitable development, slash-and-burn agricultural practices, charcoal production, and general overexploitation of forest resources have contributed significantly to the degradation of Ethiopia’s forest habitats. Plus, most communities in these rural regions rely directly on the land to meet their daily needs, such as food, water, and shelter. As forests continue to disappear, the less these communities are able to survive off the land’s natural resources.
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428,000 hectares
of tree cover were lost between 2001 and 2020
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23.5% Ethiopians
live below the poverty line
Our nursery and planting site from our initial launch of our Ethiopia program in Udo Watette.
How we started
In 2005, we launched our first project when Ethiopia’s President Hailemariam Desalegn of the Southern Nations and Nationalities People’s Region asked founder Steve Fitch to help run a forest restoration project at the Udo Escarpment near Hawassa, Ethiopia. After seven years, we ended our work in Ethiopia with nearly 16 million trees planted by over 3,500 local community members. Now, a decade later, we are returning to Ethiopia to work with local communities in Dawuro to develop a reforestation model that aligns with the region’s forest types as well as the communities’ needs.
The dam on the Omo River provides hydroelectric power to nearby communities.
Where we're working
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Dawuro zone
Located in the heart of the Omo Valley of Ethiopia
Riverine forests and highland peaks restoration
An agroforestry program to promote food security
Our team establishing an inventory plot at the Dibo Shamena site.
Our progress to date
As we relaunch our work in Ethiopia, we have identified Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), and seedling nurseries as the primary restoration methods for this region. Using these methods to reforest the Dawuro zone will help address the devastation deforestation has had on the area, such as decreased water resources, increased landslides, and degraded landscapes.
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2,360+ hectares
under management
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5+ individuals
employed in underserved geographies