Ensuring the survival of world’s ecosystems

GREENPOP, a community-oriented organisation on a mission to reconnect people with the planet, was selected as a supporting partner of the UN decade on ecosystem restoration.

This was a co-ordinated call to action to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems across the globe. The global initiative was launched on World Environment Day last year and will run until 2030.

Head of programmes at Greenpop, Zoë Gauld-Angelucci, said the UN’s decade on ecosystem restoration was a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, for the benefit of people and nature.

“Since our first small-scale reforestation and alien-clearing project in Africa’s southernmost forest, Greenpop’s work has expanded to include over 150 000 trees planted in reforestation projects in South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.

“In 2018, we consolidated all of our forest restoration work under our Forests for Life programme. Through this programme, we form long-term partnerships with small-scale organisations across Sub-Saharan Africa and provide holistic support to sustainably restore forest and woodland habitats, effectively manage critical catchment areas, and improve the lives of communities who rely on forest resources.

“During the UN decade, we plan to restore hundreds of hectares of forests and bring our total trees planted up to 1 million.

“This is our moment (and) we cannot turn back time. But we can grow trees, green our cities, change our diets and clean up rivers and coasts. We are the generation that can make peace with nature,” she said.

Close to 3.3 billion people across the world have been affected by ecosystem degradation. This could be due to a number of factors including overexploitation and pollution.

“The loss and degradation of natural habitats for plants and animals has helped drive an estimated 1 million species toward extinction, and accelerated climate change.

“(However), all kinds of natural as well as human-made ecosystems can be restored, including forests, farmlands, cities, wetlands and oceans. Healthier ecosystems with richer biodiversity yield greater benefits for the planet and its people.

“Restoring ecosystems, large and small, protects and improves not only our planet but also the livelihoods of billions of people who depend on them,” she added.

The UN said: “We are the generation that can make peace with nature. The overarching vision for the UN decade is a world where, for the health and well-being of all life on Earth and that of future generations.

“The relationship between humans and nature has been restored, where the area of healthy ecosystems is increasing and where ecosystem loss, fragmentation and degradation has been ended.”

JULIETTE BISSET THOUSANDS of indigenous trees are planted by Greenpop in partnership with Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat and Platbos Forest Reserve. |