Tree planting projects: planting trees in Madagascar

You probably know Madagascar from David Attenborough’s Lost Worlds (although if you know it from Dreamworks, we’re not judging!) – but what we know Madagascar for is our fantastic tree planting projects and partners.

In this tree planting projects blog, we’re taking you on a trip to the Indian Ocean, approximately 400km off the coast of East Africa, to show you why tree planting is fundamental to the future of Madagascar and what our tree planting partners are up to.

Let’s go.

Madagascar key facts

Madagascar is an island country situated off the southeast coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean.

It’s the fourth largest island in the world, but that’s not it’s only impressive statistic:

Official name: Republic of Madagascar
Capital: Antananarivo
Languages: Malagasy, French
Area: 226, 756 KM2
Population: 25,661,000
Climate: tropical.

The importance of tree planting projects in Madagascar

When looking for tree planting projects for your business or personal emissions, it’s easy to look for UK tree planting projects first. But, there is a whole range of much-needed projects across the world.

Madagascar, for example, lost 847 kha of humid primary forest between 2002 to 2019 – reducing its total forest area by 18%. More than 90% of its original forests are gone, and for the world’s oldest island, this is a huge deal.

Madagascar is home to an amazing array of wildlife, some not seen anywhere else in the world, including more than 11,000 endemic plant species. And, we’re constantly finding more – between 1999 and 2010 alone, scientists discovered 615 new species.

The small scale but widespread trend of deforestation in the country threatens these species on a daily basis, with many at risk of extinction by the end of the century.

Reforestation and tree planting projects in Madagascar not only protect these amazing species, but they also help to:

Improve soil health – reducing coastal erosion and creating a barrier between land and ocean.
Improve water quality – filtering rainfall and reducing runoff.
Support and enhance biodiversity – by providing wildlife with habitats it needs.
Increase the carbon sink – and help the action against climate change.
Improve weather patterns and reduce desertification – reducing wildfires.

Why is Madagascar losing trees?

There are two main reasons behind Madagascar’s deforestation rates:

Small-scale agriculture that adopts the “slash and burn” practice.
Uncontrollable wildfires.

It’s also notable that 80% of the population has no access to grid electricity, and therefore tree felling for charcoal is common.

The MoreTrees Madagascar tree planting project

So, how can you help?

With the MoreTrees Madagascar tree planting project, you can plant trees for just £1, helping the country while sequestering future carbon emissions.

We work with tree planting partners who educate local communities about the importance of planting and protecting trees and work with them to restore devastated mangrove estuaries alongside deciduous species.

Our partners work across two main National Parks, helping to reforest and revive natural habitats while providing locals with a fair wage for their work.

How to plant a tree in Madagascar

If you’d like to join our Madagascar tree planting project and plant trees for your business, customers, clients or self, then register on the platform and select Madagascar when planting your trees.

It’s as simple as that

And if you’d like to know more about this or any other of our tree planting projects in the UK or across the world, get in touch.