Diverse forest restoration is a powerful tools in addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Done properly, it restores whole landscapes, sequesters carbon and protects biodiversity.
In turn, tree planting has become one of the most widely promoted solutions to the climate crisis. Monocultures, or plantations of a single fast-growing species, make up 45% of newly promised forests. However, these poorly designed restoration projects replace complex natural ecosystems with simplified, fragile landscapes.
In contrast, diverse planted forests can store over 70% more carbon than monocultures, while also delivering greater biodiversity and social benefits. Efforts such as planting the right mix of native species, supporting ecological processes, and rebuilding habitats together allow wildlife to thrive. This also means recognising the central role of communities in shaping and sustaining these landscapes, ensuring that restoration provides food, income, and resilience.
This is precisely what sets Trillion Trees apart. Trillion Trees is the united force between BirdLife International, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and WWF. GRP contributes to Trillion Trees’s ReForest Fund, which supports impact-driven projects that place local communities at the centre of decision-making. Some examples include:
- Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve: Trillion Trees and WCS are working with local people to restore habitat for jaguars and scarlet macaws by removing invasive grasses, reducing fire risks, and planting native trees.
- Bolivia’s Tunari National Park: Trillion Trees and Asociación Armonía is partnering with Indigenous communities to restore the fragile Polylepis forests of the Andes, planting tens of thousands of trees and building new nurseries to strengthen watersheds.
- Tanzania’s Usambara Mountains: with funds received through Trillion Trees, WWF is supporting community-led agroforestry that not only restores degraded land but also provides food and income, with nearly 320 hectares already restored.
When restoration is designed with care – planting the right trees in the right places, for the right reasons – it transforms into a powerful force for tackling climate change, safeguarding biodiversity, and supporting resilient communities.
GRP supports Trillion Trees and other admirable and effective restoration projects. With a focus on impact, scalability, and co-benefits, GRP’s unique model is one of the best ways for you to help protect our planet.