With the loss of over 70% of the nations forest cover, Nepal desperately needs new trees planted and protected to help the animals and people that depend so much on the local environment. Trees planted here also capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Replanting trees

Nepal is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world where rural villagers directly depend on their natural environment for food, shelter, and income. When the local environment is damaged or destroyed, the poor are the first to feel the negative effects. Forced to live on marginal lands, they are at greatest risk. Without financial resources or the knowledge to manage vulnerable resources in a sustainable way, they often further degrade their lands in order to survive. By continuing to destroy nature to survive, the problem perpetuates their poverty and damages the homes and food supplies of the local wildlife.

With our partner, Eden Reforestation Projects, we work to support poverty alleviation and environmental restoration in three distinct areas across the country:

Nawalparasi

A mountainous region of Nepal, Nawalparasi is filled with challenging terrain that is increasingly unstable in deforested areas. As new trees are planted and their roots grow into the ground they naturally anchor the soil and help protect these remote villages from landslides and rock falls.

Jhapa

Vast, flat grasslands and dense forests dominate Nepals easternmost district, Jhapa. By working with local villagers and community leaders, Eden Reforestation Projects helps restore previously forested land in the region. With fresh trees these previously barren lands are attracting wildlife back to the local area to find food, water and shelter. Recently this has included elephants leaving fresh tracks and fresh dung around the freshly planted trees.

Chitwan National Park

Established in 1973, Chitwan - meaning “heart of the jungle” - was the first national park in Nepal. Set in The Chitwan Valley and characterised by its tropical and subtropical forests, the national park is home to diverse and rare wildlife including bengal tigers, clouded leopards and Asian rock pythons (that can grow up to 20 feet!). Preserving and replanting these woods are essential for the survival of these animals.

Impact

Planting trees is not a “silver bullet” when it comes to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere however the beneficial effects extend further than simply capturing CO₂. With the protection of existing woods and the reforestation of the areas affected by the incredible damage that has occurred in the last century we also aim at alleviating poverty in areas that struggle and rebuilding homes for the local wildlife to attract it back.

Twenty seven endangered mammal species (including bengal tigers, one-horned rhinoceros, asiatic elephants and clouded leopards) call Nepal’s forests their home and without action to preserve and replant the missing woods these incredible animals would likely go extinct.

As the trees grow they are constantly capturing carbon dioxide and converting it into wood and fruit - by supporting the planting of native forests in Nepal we not only tackle the climate crisis but also provide food to the 81% of the population residing in rural areas and homes to the suffering wildlife.

This project is one of many we support - minimising the damage done to the environment and maximising the impact we can all have on climate change. It is important that everyone chooses to reduce their footprint and slow the emissions of dangerous greenhouse gases but combined with carbon removal projects such as this one, it is possible for us to fight and undo the effects of the climate crisis.

If you’re interested in supporting carbon removal projects like forest fire reforestation, please start a subscription today and turn your emissions into trees and stone.