by Josef Ertl, Austria
My name is Josef Ertl, I come from Austria and I am 20 years old. I founded the organization Awaken Trees, which supports local farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) initiatives in Ghana and Tanzania.
FMNR is all about the regeneration of tree stumps instead of planting new ones.
In countries like Tanzania, you will find landscapes full of small bushes – and many of these bushes are actually trees that have been cut down. Because they still have a living root system underground, these trees can be regenerated quickly only through a little care and protection.
You might think this is such a simple approach, it cannot have a big impact. But this approach has already changed the destiny of countless farmers. Because trees can protect and fertilize the soil, their families have enough harvests now—even in years of drought.
This approach is important for all of us, as trees are some of the most effective tools in the fight against climate change as they are converting carbon dioxide into oxygen.
To sum up: It is a very easy method that makes a huge impact on people’s lives—then we come to the most important factor: scaling. Once people start regenerating trees on their land, this practice spreads from farmer to farmer like a jungle fire—without any limits. In the Republic of Niger—one of the driest countries on Earth—over 200 million trees have already been regenerated. Over 5 million hectares have been regreened.
That is why we are spreading this message. That is why we are sharing this knowledge, especially with the younger generation through school programmes, through trainings and through community events. Because they are the future of our planet.
We support local movements, involving local authorities, teachers, and students, because it is not too late. This story shows us that there is still hope. There is hope for people living in degraded landscapes—and there is hope for all of us concerning climate change.
And everything we need is already in the ground.
This video was submitted as part of the World Forestry Congress forest change-maker video competition. You can see all accepted entries here. Shortlisted finalists and winners will be announced later in February.
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