One Million Tree Project

Introduction

The One Million Tree Project continues to serve as a vital effort under the African Soul Initiative, driving environmental regeneration and community empowerment. This report provides an update on activities and progress made from February to June 2025, outlines current challenges, and shares our strategic next steps as we pursue our mission to plant one million trees.

Project Progress

In the months following our last report, several developments have occurred across our core areas of focus:

• Seed Collection and Procurement: We successfully broadened the variety of seeds collected, with emphasis on drought-resistant species. Collaborative efforts with local farmers and forestry officers have improved the quality of seeds gathered. Despite this, some seed types still failed viability testing, requiring further rounds of selection.
• Nursery Bed Maintenance: While funding limitations persist, we stabilized the existing Kalungu nursery operations. Basic repairs were made to shade structures, and alternative low-cost irrigation techniques were introduced, including the use of mulch to retain moisture and water-harvesting from community tanks.
• Seedling Growth: As of June 2025, we have nurtured approximately 37,000 viable seedlings, a 12% increase from the February figures. Although expansion is still constrained, survival rates have improved slightly due to better water management.
• Community Outreach: Community sensitization activities resumed in April, focusing on environmental education in four local schools and women’s groups. These engagements are laying a foundation for more organized planting efforts in the coming months.

 Challenges Faced

1. Unpredictable Weather: The March–May rainy season was shorter and less intense than expected. This delayed transplanting of seedlings to planting sites and increased pressure on irrigation.
2. Limited Funding: The budget shortfall has affected our ability to:
• Expand the nursery bed.
• Procure a dedicated water pump.
• Hire temporary labor during peak nursery periods.
3. Transportation Constraints: A lack of reliable transportation for community outreach and seedling distribution has limited the scale of planting activities.

Next Steps & Strategic Focus

To ensure continued progress and scalability, the following strategies are being prioritized:

• Fundraising & Partnerships:
  We are actively pursuing co-funding opportunities with agroforestry partners and engaging in discussions with two new potential donors. A proposal has also been submitted to a regional climate resilience fund.
• Pilot Planting Phase (August–September):
  Plans are in place to begin the first major pilot planting phase with the 37,000 ready seedlings. This will be done in collaboration with local landowners and schools.
• Nursery Expansion Plan (Phased):
  Expansion will continue in phases, focusing on low-cost methods and volunteer labor mobilization, pending funding availability.
• Monitoring & Impact Assessment:
  A basic seedling survival tracking system is being piloted to improve data collection and long-term impact reporting.

Comment from the Project Coordinator

“Despite ongoing limitations, we are encouraged by the community's enthusiasm and our team's resilience. Every seedling grown is a step toward climate action, food security, and biodiversity restoration. Our biggest need right now is consistent funding to scale nursery operations and move to mass planting. We remain committed to our goal and invite continued collaboration from all our partners.”

Conclusion

While challenges persist, we are steadily building momentum toward the vision of one million trees. The groundwork laid so far has strengthened community ties and improved operational processes. With renewed donor support and upcoming planting activities, we are optimistic about significant milestones in the second half of 2025.

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