By Cristina Pianca | Camp Coordinator
As we enter the new year, we are filled with gratitude for all the amazing results that we achieved together in 2022!
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!
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.
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.
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
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