The Great Green Wall
The trees will become part of the Great Green Wall. A gigantic new forest that is currently being constructed. It stretches from West to East Africa, at the southern edge of the Sahara, 8,000 km long and 15 km wide. A wall to stop desertification.
This project of the African Union, supported by the United Nations, will be the largest human edifice ever built on earth! A lot of different organizations are working on it in 20+ countries. At this moment ~17% has already been realized!
Through Presentree, you can help build this impressive project, unique in the history of mankind.
A new economy
Most of the work is done by the local people themselves. They sow the trees, maintain the forest, and collect the seeds. This provides paid work which raises the standard of living. In addition, they can again successfully farm and sell vegetables, fruits, herbs, honey and gum at the market. Thanks to more grass, the cattle are fatter and can be sold at a higher price.
Children no longer have to travel monster distances with the cattle in search of food. Mothers can pay school fees again, breaking a vicious circle. In Burkina Faso, where Lignaverda planted one hundred million square meters of forest, the government spontaneously started investing in schools!
Migration
Right now, life in the Sahel is hard and difficult. There is nothing left to eat, drink or earn. An arid plain where agriculture is no longer possible. Many of the local residents are therefore moving away from the Sahel.By raising the standard of living and creating a new economy, the new forest brings about a reverse migration: the original inhabitants return to their native region because new opportunities arise.
Before this area became desert, it was a forest. Due to massive deforestation and desertification, life disappeared there. Now that the forest is coming back, people can also return.
The impact of your forest
After you buy a Presentree, we will keep you personally informed about the impact of your piece of forest. After registration you can follow everything online.Your forest brings enormous benefits to the local population and ecology. The trees provide shade; leaves and manure provide compost; the roots retain moisture in the soil. The insects come back, then the birds, then the rodents, then the larger animals. Until finally a full, healthy, new ecosystem emerges. After only 7 years you can speak of a full-fledged forest. And that in a place that is now an oven.
A tree removes about 11kg of CO₂ per year from the atmosphere and provides oxygen in its place. The canopy also provides shade, which protects the soil and provides a cooler micro-climate. Your Presentree literally gives oxygen and shade to the desert!