Forests cover approximately one-third of the Earth’s surface and are home to more than three-quarters of the world’s life on land. Further, forests serve as carbon sinks, protect watersheds, reduce the risk of natural disasters such as landslides and flooding, and provide livelihoods for billions of people across the globe. But the world’s forests continue to decline at an alarming rate.
To combat the threats facing forests, WWF’s Russell E. Train Education for Nature (EFN) program established an initiative in 2011 to support reforestation and restoration projects around the globe. With funding from The UPS Foundation, EFN has awarded an average of 14 Reforestation Grants a year to non-governmental organizations, community groups, national parks, and academic institutions working in critical areas and countries. Throughout the years, supported projects have focused on key activities from connecting corridors and improving degraded lands to restoring watersheds and expanding forest cover.
To date, EFN has successfully worked with over 100 local organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America who have planted and restored nearly 2.4 million trees while also improving livelihoods, enhancing local capacity, and strengthening overall biodiversity targets. Below are just three of the outstanding organizations working to restore the world’s forests.
