Reforestation
Madagascar's soil is being washed into the Indian Ocean.
Madagascar has lost more than 90% of its forests due to a growing population, unsusutainable agricultural practices, and resource extraction such as land clearing to grow food and cash crops, graze cattle, or harvest wood to export or use as fuel.
Deforestation combined with weathering and naturally occurring soil conditions has resulted in catastrophic soil erosion, environmental degradation, and a lack of habitat for indigenous species. In some areas, as much as 250 metric tons of soil is washed into the ocean each year.
Reforestation is critical to the environment, the Malagasy people, and the national economy, so we're planting trees. We've chosen a variety of fruit-bearing, medicinal and nitrogen-fixing species that are indigenous to Madagascar. We've started on school lands, with parents and students planting and caring for the trees, and have extended the project into the villages.
