In April, our commitment to global climate solutions, through our valued partnership with Ecologi, extends to impactful tree-planting initiatives. This includes supporting reforestation projects right here in the UK, alongside vital efforts in Kenya and a mangrove restoration project at Kandrany, Madagascar.
Reforestation projects we support in the UK
Our UK reforestation partners are making significant strides in revitalising native ecosystems across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Collaborating closely with local communities, they are breathing life back into a nation facing considerable nature depletion.
Planting the right trees in suitable UK locations yields numerous benefits. They offer crucial protection against increasingly unpredictable weather, mitigating flood risks, providing cooling shade during hotter periods, acting as windbreaks, and retaining moisture in drying landscapes. Furthermore, trees aid in land conservation by reducing soil erosion, enhancing soil quality, and boosting soil carbon levels.
Beyond these direct benefits, trees are vital for supporting biodiversity, offering refuge for native plants and animals vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change. Healthy ecosystems deliver essential services like clean water and air, alongside providing spaces for recreation, mental well-being, and connection to our cultural heritage.
Forest restoration in Kenya
Kenya, a large East African nation bordering Lake Victoria and the Indian Ocean, relies heavily on agriculture and tourism. However, food security and poverty are significant challenges, with over a third of the population living below the poverty line.
The Mau Region faces issues like limited clean water, poor roads, and inadequate education. The Mau Forest is crucial as it contains rivers feeding Lake Victoria, impacting millions. Deforestation since the 1970s, driven by agriculture, charcoal production, and livestock, has caused extensive land degradation and exacerbated the effects of recent droughts, leading to severe hydrological damage.
Ecologi’s Kenyan reforestation efforts are managed by Eden Reforestation Projects, a non-profit employing local villagers to plant and protect trees, providing fair wages and restoring forests on a large scale. Their “Employ to Plant” approach yields significant socio-economic and environmental benefits.
In the Mau Region, the Kass FM project covers 5,700 hectares across six sites owned by the local community. Local people are employed as planters, nursery staff, and forest guards, earning a consistent income through sustainable land-use practices, improving their access to education, nutrition, and healthcare.
Over seven years, approximately 14.25 million afromontane trees will be planted at Kass FM, thanks to Ecologi’s community’s support.
Mangrove planting at Kandrany, Madagascar
Madagascar, the world’s second-largest island country, is a biodiversity hotspot with over 90% of its wildlife unique to the planet. Sadly, extensive deforestation has devastated its original forests, displacing animals and hindering local livelihoods. Crucial mangrove estuaries have also vanished, leading to coastal erosion. These mangrove forests are vital carbon sinks, provide habitats for marine life, and offer essential coastal protection from floods and storms.
Ecologi’s mangrove restoration projects in Madagascar are managed by Eden Reforestation Projects, a non-profit that employs local people to plant and protect trees for fair wages, driving large-scale forest restoration. Their “Employ to Plant” method delivers significant socio-economic and environmental benefits.
Mangroves, coastal trees in tropical and subtropical regions, excel at absorbing and storing carbon in their root systems – known as blue carbon. Besides their carbon sequestration abilities, they provide excellent coastal defence against floods and storms.
This project’s restoration efforts are focused on coastal land northwest of Madagascar, near Mahajanga. To date, they funded the planting of mangroves across roughly 600 hectares of this degraded coastline, with ongoing support for further planting.
Since Ecologi’s founding in 2019, their community has supported mangrove planting here, and they anticipate funding the planting of 13 million mangrove trees by the project’s end.
You can find out more about Enbecom’s contributions by visiting our profile. If your business is interested in supporting similar environmental projects in 2025, we recommend exploring a partnership with Ecologi or considering one of our hosting plans.