Ecosystem Restoration Netherlands Project #53285

Empower 80+ communities restore their ecosystems

by Ecosystem Restoration Communities

Empower 80+ communities restore their ecosystems

Project Report | May 5, 2023
Ecosystem Restoration Communities - Report May 2023

By Cristina Pianca | Restoration Community Coordinator

ERC Contour Lines (Guatemala)

Dear Friend,

We’re writing with exciting news! After careful consideration, Ecosystem Restoration Camps has changed its name to Ecosystem Restoration Communities.

We’d like to share why this small but significant development reflects the much bigger journey we’ve been on together over the past six years.

From tiny shoots to mighty forests

In 2016, the first Ecosystem Restoration Camp was established in Spain by a small but pioneering group of earth restorers. Since then, we have transformed into a thriving international movement of more than 60 communities in over 30 countries worldwide, working together locally and globally on what our founder John Liu calls the ‘Great Work of Our Time’.

Along the way, we discovered many like-minded supporters who shared our vision for ecosystem restoration and quickly got behind us. Like a mycelial network, we started working together and despite living in a variety of landscapes and locations, we were united by the wish to restore ecological function around the world so that people and other living things can live together in harmony.

In 2021, in recognition of the incredible restoration work taking place around the globe, the United Nations made us an official supporting partner of their Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.

Growing and changing together
When we first started out, the term ‘camps’ reflected our aim to establish non-permanent camping sites on degraded lands where people from around the world could gather together to work on ecosystem restoration.

Yet over time, our focus has increasingly shifted away from camps towards engaging with and mobilising local communities – an approach that not only supports lower personal carbon footprints but is also in line with inspiring and attracting local people to contribute to regenerative practices and join the worldwide effort to restore degraded ecosystems.

We’ve also evolved considerably as an organisation since 2016, and the experiences now on offer are as varied as the communities that make up the movement. Beyond ecosystem restoration experiences alone, we now facilitate a wide range of educational courses, research & internship opportunities, a global knowledge exchange platform and more.

Since our focus, organisation and offer has shifted so significantly, it feels like the right time for our name to evolve too.

Why camps became communities
By moving from camps to communities, we want to demonstrate that we’re a living, growing, international community with common interests, ideals and goals.

We believe the word ‘communities’ is more aligned with what we have evolved into and it feels more expansive, inclusive and encompassing the diversity of work now taking place.

Our name change also represents what many earth restorers already know: that ecosystem restoration can’t take place in isolated camps, since this naturally symbiotic process is intricately entwined with local landscapes and lives.

In becoming Ecosystem Restoration Communities, we’re acknowledging the importance of these interconnected relationships and reaffirming our wish to work even more collaboratively in future.

Continuing the Great Work
Whilst our name might be changing, we’re still passionate about continuing the Great Work of our Time: empowering ordinary, everyday people to take the lead in restoring the earth and working together to repair damaged ecosystems.

In just six years, nearly 21,000 earth restorers have already planted around 2.7 million plants and trees on around 9 thousand hectares of degraded land worldwide. The collective ambition of restoration initiatives currently in the movement is to restore 3.1 million hectares, and this ambition will grow as our organisation expands. As a movement, our big goal is to have one million people come together by 2030 to reverse ecological destruction and restore biodiversity in hundreds of communities around the world.

We’d like to thank all our supporters, partners and earth restorers for joining us on the journey and all the incredible achievements so far. As Ecosystem Restoration Communities, we can’t wait to see what we’ll grow together next!

Best wishes,
Crisitna, Cath and the Ecosystem Restoration Communities team

ERC Uthai Forest (Thailand)

ERC Mainsprings (Tanzania)

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Jan 6, 2023
Ecosystem Restoration Camps - Look at what we achieved together in 2022!

By Cristina Pianca | Camp Coordinator

Reforest Now reached a milestone of 400,000 trees

As we enter the new year, we are filled with gratitude for all the amazing results that we achieved together in 2022!

The mighty movement is gaining momentum in Africa

We're thrilled to welcome Sitatunga Kitale and Koromi River (both in Kenya) and Pachamama (South Africa) to Ecosystem Restoration Camps!

Camp Sitatunga Kitale is active near Kenya's Saiwa Swamp National Park, on land which has suffered many disturbances due to deforestation and unsustainable farming coupled with excessive use of artificial fertilisers. In response to this, Sitatunga's projects are focusing on the reforestation of the Kapolet Forest, which contains 5 important watersheds for the community and wildlife.

Camp Koromi River lies on 500 acres of land in Kenya's hinterland of Malindi. The land has been heavily degraded by massive deforestation and ruminant overgrazing. This initiative is tackling restoration of the ecosystem by introducing sustainable agroforestry. Koromi River’s goal is to be a lighthouse in their community, showing that sustainable agroforestry models in this part of the world are not only valuable for restoring ecosystems but can create more regenerative sustainable livelihoods too.

At Camp Pachamama in South Africa's scenic Garden Route area, the team is regenerating and reforesting 9 hectares of land, with more planned for the future! This initiative is taking place on the edge of the largest native forest in South Africa which has been heavily degraded by deforestation, industrial-scale monoculture forestry plantations, and wildfires which have resulted in major biodiversity loss. What's more, this native forest is home to the last remaining forest-dwelling Knysna Elephant!

Massive regreening in Brazil, Australia and Italy

Camp Sinal do Vale is restoring degraded land in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil that was once coffee plantations and cattle pastures. Sinal do Vale has been able to plant more than 41,000 native trees on these steep slopes, thanks to grants from One Tree Planted facilitated by ERC, and other partners. While some seedlings were grown in Sinal's own tree nursery, most were purchased from a local, women-led network of native tree nurseries that seek to promote flora and fauna in this highly threatened biodiversity hotspot.

Over the past couple of months Camp Reforest Now in Northern New South Wales, Australia, has been planting thousands (literally) of trees to restore subtropical rainforest. And they've just reached a rather impressive milestone of 400,000 trees planted in the region, with no plans of stopping anytime soon!

It's also tree planting season in Camp Rocciaviva in Matera, Italy, where Piero and the team are on a mission to get native species in the ground before the end of November.

Cop 27 let you down? Meet the amazing humans of Habiba Community that are bringing back hope!

Habiba Community is located just two hours away from COP 27 that took place in November 2022 at Sharm El Sheikh. While world leaders and other global decision makers have been trying to reach decisions, a group of inspiring individuals have been hard at work implementing the solution right there on the ground, with remarkable outcomes for the land and local livelihoods. Consider donating to our GlobalGiving project in support of this amazing group of people who are tackling climate change, hands-on, at this oasis of hope and regeneration in the desert.

Looking back at 2022 at Ecosystem Restoration Camps: a message from our Directors

Time flies when you’re having an impact! The four years that we have been directors seem to have flown by. Some would say it’s due to Covid that time seems to have sped up, but we are certain it is due to the ever-inspiring stories we receive daily from the movement on the ground. It remains humbling to be in the company of so many leaders, visionaries, and restoration heroes around the world. This is a heartwarming and hope-giving community and we’re proud to be part of it.

There are some achievements that cannot go unmentioned. Together the movement is working to restore over 3 million hectares. To date, nearly 3 million trees have been planted. And, most importantly, ERC has provided a transformative experience - changing the way humans interact with the natural world - to more than 21.000 individuals.

The movement continues to grow with new restoration initiatives coming on board. Many are established and already successful in their own right. They are joining the movement to find a community of people like them that are also taking on the challenges they are confronted with in their region. They are also joining us for the exchange of actionable knowledge the community provides to each other, sharing tips and tricks, getting access to a whole new community of volunteers, and finding a way to reach global audiences with their stories through the channels the Foundation has set up. And they are joining us to find new avenues of funding. We have a team in place that works to understand their needs, search for synergies and ask those that can fund this work to please do so.

As we look forward to 2023, we are eager to discover new opportunities to achieve our vision and mission. And we can’t wait to announce an exciting change early in the new year that aligns with our natural evolution as an organisation. Watch this space!

Best wishes for the new year and thank you for joining us on this journey towards a more abundant planet.

With Gratitude

Pieter Van der Gaag and Jan Hein van der Hoeven, Directors: Ecosystem Restoration Camps

Cristina, Cath, and the Ecosystem Restoration Camps Team

Camp Sitatunga Kitale, Kenya

Camp Koromi River, Kenya

Camp Pachamama, South Africa

Camp Sinal do Vale planted 41,000 trees

Rocciaviva planted thousands of trees in Matera

Women-run food gardens at Habiba Community

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Sep 8, 2022
Ecosystem Restoration Camps Donor Report, Sep 2022

By Cristina Pianca | Camp Coordinator

Camp Mainsprings' transformation

Dear Earth Restorers,

We are thrilled to share with you some inspiring updates from the ecosystem restoration movement. Here are just some of the restoration projects and activities that YOUR generous support is making possible.

From degraded dust bowl to thriving ecosystem

Ten years ago, consultant Mark Shepard, and Valley Foundation introduced Camp Mainsprings in Tanzania o Permaculture. Take a look at what the land looked like before, and how it looks now. Between the two learning campuses at the camp, Mainsprings now produces between 55-60 tons of produce per year, plus livestock, and are just getting started. Not only is the camp providing for themselves, but they’re helping other farmers, organisations and individuals across East Africa learn from what we have done so they can do the same!

A 'wildly' inspiring read

Our education officer Ashleigh Brown, who also facilitates at Embercombe’s seasonal Rewilding Camps, reflects on her experience of the land in Devon, England, as it rewilds - and on healing the world.

Read the blog here.

Ecosystem Restoration Summit engages more than 300 earth restorers

We presented a summit in partnership with Gaia Education from 2 - 10 September. The "All-Star" lineup of presenters and facilitators - all experts in the field of ecosystem restoration - took this opportunity to share their vast knowledge through riveting interviews, presentations, and Q&As, inspiring positive restoration action all around the world. Some of the popular topics included:

How to determine whether an ecosystem requires restoration
Representations and case studies of all biomes, ecosystems and communities from around the world
What steps are needed to restore an ecosystem
How to engage community
How to fund a restoration project
Indigenous wisdom for ecosystems restoration
If cities can be restored
How to design for resilience and disasters
How to learn and engage further

Our next symposium is scheduled for 22 October and will explore the topic of growing food in water-scarce regions, with expert presentations and case studies from several Ecosystem Restoration Camps across the globe.

Karibu ('welcome') Camp Nguge Hills Lodge!

We're thrilled to welcome another camp in Africa! Nguge Hills Lodge, now the third Ecosystem Restoration Camp in Kenya, is making it their mission to restore 300 acres of land in the next 10 years with the help from local citizens, for the benefit of both the local community and wildlife alike.

The Camp is located on 25-acres of degraded rainforest that is home to numerous communities, as well as a growing monkey population. The degradation has become increasingly problematic due to deforestation from land clearing for charcoal.
To date they have set up a tree nursery and restored 2 acres of land through agroforestry, planting over 5,000 trees. Each species has been selected for its ability to grow in harmony with the indigenous trees and vegetation, and to provide shelter, food, or have medicinal value.

Look what your support is achieving

And to end this newsletter update on an inspiring note, we would love to share with you our latest impact figures!

To date, our collective Mighty Movement has spanned to 55 initiatives globally, with more than 18,600 earth restorers participating in the restoration, regeneration, and rehabilitation of over 8,846 hectares and have planted 2,363,445 trees and plants! Through your support, we keep growing and growing, getting stronger and stronger.

THANK YOU - from all the Ecosystem Restoration Camps around the world - for being a part of our mighty movement.
If you haven’t already done so, please consider signing up for our newsletter so we can keep you more regularly updated with inspiring news coming from the camps. You will also receive invitations to our exclusive 'Fireside Chat' sessions which feature a different camp manager each month!

Together, we are restoring the earth.

With gratitude,

Cristina, Cath, and the Ecosystem Restoration Camps Team

Ashleigh Brown at Camp Embercombe

Ecosystem Restoration Summit

Camp Nguge Hills, located near Siaya Town, Kenya

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