Our reforestation projects aim to combat the effects of climate change and heal the local ecosystem . As part of our goal to plant a million trees per year, we do extensive planting on our site and throughout the Mae Hong Son province.
Between 1950 and 2014 the forest cover in Thailand decreased from 70% to a staggering 25%. This striking fall is a result of deforestation due to two principal activities. One being the illegal trade of precious wood (like teak trees for furniture) and the other being an overwhelming increase in acquisition of natural land for agricultural purposes since the 1970s. The practice has accelerated with locals setting fire to clear land during the dry season. Moreover, this deforestation damages the ecosystem of wildlife thus contributing to an increase in the number of endangered species. If the current deforestation rates continue there will be no natural forest left in 50 years. That is why it is crucial to plant trees now.
An important part of our project is to restore damaged ecosystem by planting key species indigenous to tropical forests, which creates a stable environment and allows the regenerated forest to sustain itself. Last year we planted 250,000 trees in the Mae Hong Son province of Thailand with the help of the Thai army and the local communities. This year our goal is a million trees.
We use the framework species method to guide us in our reforestation projects. We plant over twenty species of tropical trees, each of which serves a specific purpose in the forest. Fast-growing pioneer trees flourish in the sunlight, while climax trees prefer their shade. After three years, nature takes over and the forest becomes self-regulating. Birds and mammals eat the seeds and disperse them to other areas, naturally increasing the size of the forests. The results have been astounding, and with our help, Thailand is slowly gaining back its lost tropical forest.