Context

Forests provide vital services to both people and the planet, bolstering livelihoods, providing clean air and water, conserving biodiversity and responding to climate change. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, forest cover is decreasing at an alarming rate. In the Garden Route, back-to-back fires in 2017 and 2018 led to over 108,000 ha of indigenous and plantation/pine forests being lost, and many local communities impacted.

 

Supported project

In 2021-2022, L’OCCITANE South Africa and the L’OCCITANE Foundation support The Greenpop Foundation NPC. The Forests for Life - Heartland Project aims to restore 1 hectare of forest land at Heartland Organic Farm through alien invasive plant management, natural regeneration management, and active planting of 1500 indigenous tree seedlings. 


By improving forest land use, this project will assist in increasing several ecosystem services for the local community including climate change adaptation, improved soil stability, increased species biodiversity, and decreased fire risk. Additionally, this project will support several community tree nurseries in the area thereby providing an income to those who run the nurseries and supporting the propagation of indigenous trees in the area.

Some figures

Budget 10,200 euros

Results 0.31 preserved hectares

Results 1,500 planted trees