Restoration is Taking Root for the Brazilian Amazon

The trajectory of this crisis, along with the negative impact it’s having, is staggering. Parts of the forest itself are at risk of becoming savannah grasslands in the next 25 years. The wildlife here— 10% of the world’s known species, some of which are found nowhere else on the planet — are losing the trees that foster their survival. Severe drought is plaguing parts of the country. When the rain does fall, it threatens to create unthinkable mudslides. And the Indigenous communities that have historically lived in unison with the rainforest are left in a vulnerable position, as they rely on the Amazon for food, a source of income, and keeping their culture alive.

Planting trees is vital to preserving this critical ecosystem.

That’s why the Arbor Day Foundation and local planting partner Forest Trends are working on a multi-year effort to plant more than 1.4 million trees in the Amazon. Through this partnership, connections have been forged with eight Indigenous communities that have been greatly involved in the ongoing planning and planting. The goal for all involved is clear: to help a forest with far-reaching impact to find its balance once again.

The Indigenous communities that make their home in the Amazon have been the greatest protectors and stewards of this land over the generations. They rely on the forest cover as a source of both food and income and are committed to restoring a healthy tree canopy. But these people have had to struggle just to maintain their lands.

“These Indigenous lands, some of them have areas degraded by former invaders before the demarcation process,” says Marcio Halla, an agronomist and project coordinator for Forest Trends. “The Indigenous people in the Amazon, in Brazil … they have to struggle to get their territory recognized and demarcated by the government. The situation of illegal activities in Indigenous lands — mining, logging, land grabbing — they are very serious problems.”

Eight of these communities connected with Forest Trends and the Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees in a way that will heal the land, benefiting the forest ecosystem and the people. According to Halla, the strategy is to provide an agroforestry system near their villages.

“We have a planning activity with each family to understand their ideas, their project, which kind of trees they want to have. And then we plant these trees with them, always prioritizing cacao, Brazil nuts, handicraft species, and acai,” he says.

With a restored tree canopy comes greater food security and access to sustainable sources of income such as cacao, fruits, nuts, and raw materials needed for handicrafts. Job opportunities are also being created in the planting and maintenance of trees, as well as those linked to ecotourism.

As with many things in 2020, the global pandemic put a halt to planned seedling planting in Brazil. “[We had] no access to the Indigenous lands; they were totally closed. It was forbidden to go into the Indigenous territories,” says Halla. But in 2021, the project approach changed so that another rainy season wouldn’t go by without tree planting. Three tons of seed was sown across 40 hectares of degraded land. And four months later, that area was populated with seedlings.

What was thought to be a temporary solution to a temporary challenge proved to have a lasting place in the greater effort of restoring the Amazon. It is a method of planting known as muvuca. This direct seeding process involves a collection of seeds from native trees being densely scattered across a large swath of cleared forestland. The seeds are spread either by hand or through the use of farm equipment.

The process is being widely applied in areas where agroforestry isn’t a primary focus. Specific species aren’t being selected and prioritized to support the community’s livelihood. The only concern is returning the land to its natural state.

“We put many seeds together, and then it’s a natural succession. A natural process is promoted,” says Halla. This work is about adding a seed bank into the soil and then allowing nature to take the lead. It is also a less expensive approach to rainforest revitalization.

Seedlings still play a key role in helping these Indigenous communities ensure their way of life amid the trees. In areas where restoration plans call for specific species — which make up a significant portion of the work being done — seedlings are the best way to approach replanting. This will ensure that the native species most beneficial to people are being planted near their communities.