Empower 80+ communities restore their ecosystems

Can you believe we're already in Q2 of 2025? Thanks to your incredible support, we've kicked off the year with powerful momentum — and we're just getting started. From boots-on-the-ground action to global inspiration, we've been busy healing the planet and inspiring change.

Here's a look at just a few of the things we've been up to — let’s dive in!

Say hello to the two newest communities to join our Mighty Movement of Earth Restorers!

First up, we’re heading to the beautiful island of Karatsu, Japan, where ERC Yokomakura is bringing together satoyama restoration, sustainable farming, and eco-tourism. Their goal? To protect local biodiversity, celebrate cultural heritage, and support more sustainable ways of living—all in the face of habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change.

Next stop: County Clare, Ireland, where ERC Field Good Fridays is getting the community involved in hands-on restoration across a 20-hectare site. They’re tackling biodiversity loss and soil degradation, while also creating space for inclusivity, learning, skill sharing, and grassroots environmental action.

We're thrilled to have these inspiring groups on board, and there are more to come so watch this space!

Restoring soil health with vetiver grass in Malaysia’s palm oil plantations

In Malaysian Borneo, ERC Doku is teaming up with local communities and palm oil plantations to kick off a large-scale phytoremediation project using vetiver grass. It’s part of the FAO Soil Partnership, aiming to boost both nature and community wellbeing through science-based, sustainable solutions.

The 2,500-heRestoring a watershed and fostering communities of practice: A bold restoration effort in Baja California Sur, Mexico
Big visions need bold action - and that’s exactly what’s happening in La Paz, Mexico. The Los Planes Watershed, a vital source of life for local communities and ecosystems, is the focus of an ambitious restoration effort. The Ecosystem Restoration Foundation is proud to play a role, joining a growing Community of Practice to drive lasting change. Here’s how we’re working together to restore this vital landscape - and why it matters.ctare plantation featured above was planted over 30 years ago. While palm oil has a long history in Malaysia, its expansion raised serious environmental concerns. Thankfully, new sustainability standards are shifting things in a better direction.

Since 2022, Malaysia’s Sustainable Palm Oil standards have included commitments to environmental protection. Communities are now becoming key players in conserving soil health, with special attention on Riparian Reserves - biodiverse buffer zones that support ecosystems and improve soil function.

This year, local communities will run nurseries to grow native species for these reserves. They’re also planting carbon crops like bamboo and vetiver to boost soil health and cut chemical use - part of a bigger move toward a Net Zero future by 2050.

Now that’s the kind of progress we love to see!

Finding the most effective ways to plant trees

Scaling OUT is the fastest and most effective way to drive large-scale environmental restoration. With ecosystem degradation accelerating, we believe that relying solely on expert institutions to “Scale Up” solutions is not enough — we need billions of everyday people to take action. However, making expert knowledge widely accessible remains a challenge. As part of an EU-funded project aimed at scaling out ecosystem restoration and reforestation efforts across Europe, a group of local experts from five EU regions recently gathered in Spain’s rapidly desertifying Altiplano region at a workshop with a team from ERC and More Trees Now/Meer Bomen Nu to exchange insights on reforestation and explore ways to spread this vital knowledge across the broader community where they work. Read more about the big plans for this passion-powered partnership project!

Restoring a watershed and fostering communities of practice: A bold restoration effort in Baja California Sur, Mexico

We believe that big visions need bold action - and that’s exactly what’s happening in La Paz, Mexico. The Los Planes Watershed, a vital source of life for local communities and ecosystems, is the focus of an ambitious restoration effort and the Ecosystem Restoration Foundation is proud to be playing a role, joining a growing Community of Practice to drive lasting change. Here’s how we’re working together to restore this vital landscape - and why it matters.

All these regenerative actions are made possibly through support from donors like YOU. And with so much uncertainty and dispair in the world right now, isn't it encouraging to know you're part of a movement of everyday people from communities across the globe working to restore the earth for a brighter, more sustainable future?

With heartfelt thanks and hope,
Cath & the Ecosystem Restoration Communities team

www.erc.earth