Reforestation and tree planting abroad: what is it, why should you do it, and where is the best place to go?

Reforestation and tree planting abroad: what is it, why should you do it, and where is the best place to go?

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What is reforestation and tree planting abroad and why is it done?

  • Reforestation involves planting trees and shrubs in places where they have previously disappeared due to logging, flooding or forest fires.
  • In many areas, planting trees helps to absorb or reduce the effects of climate change.
  • In coastal areas, mangrove forests are planted to break waves, prevent land from being washed away and provide fish with a place to read.
  • In dry areas, new trees provide shade, prevent erosion and desertification of the landscape.
  • In reforestation projects and activities, attention is often also paid to restoring biodiversity by using various local tree species, which benefits local animal species.
  • Many projects have their own nursery where small trees are grown from seeds.
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What does working in a reforestation project involve?

  • You can help care for the young trees (seedlings) at the nursery.
  • You plant the small trees at selected locations.
  • You care for the trees after they have been planted, for example by weeding, watering or placing protection against cattle and other grazers.
  • You teach local communities about biodiversity, the benefits of reforestation for the local economy, for example.
  • If you have a background in horticulture, forestry or water management, you can help train local employees or, for example, carry out a research internship on the results of the project.
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What do you get out of it?

  • Involvement: it strengthens your sense of involvement in tackling climate change, protecting nature and the plant world and also with other nature lovers
  • Experience: the chance that you experience something you have never done before, that you are pulled out of your comfort zone and that you gain an unforgettable experience is considerable
  • Freedom: especially when you are working in the middle of nature, you notice the difference with the life you sometimes lead at home
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What do you need or can you learn if you are going to plant and care for trees abroad?

  • Being environmentally aware: for example, by taking your surroundings into account, carefully storing your waste, minimizing water use and understanding the complex relationship between soil, plants and people.
  • Being organizationally aware: environmental clubs and nature conservation organizations are often run by a special breed of very committed people. In addition, these are organizations that often have few resources and have to fight against local bureaucracy.
  • Empathy: being aware of those circumstances is sometimes half the battle if you want to understand the behavior of the employees of a project, or your direct fellow helpers.
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What are the best places to go to slow or reverse desertification?

  • Spain
  • Egypt 
  • Morocco
  • Kenya
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What are the best places to go to restore mangrove forests?

  • Bonaire
  • Sri Lanka
  • Madagascar
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What are the best places to go to restore rainforests?

  • Brazil
  • Ecuador
  • Panama
  • Indonesia
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Organizations for nature conservation, environmental protection and working in nature abroad

Organizations for nature conservation, environmental protection and working in nature abroad

Costa Rica rain forest - Jungle

Activities, internships, paid work, services or volunteer work in environmental protection, sustainability and nature conservation

Nature conservation and environmental protection abroad: by position

For job roles and duties related to activities, internships and jobs abroad, see:
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Werken in het buitenland in het natuurbeheer en de milieusector: vacatures, werkgevers en bemiddelaars
Herbebossen en het planten van bomen in het buitenland: wat is het, waarom zou je het doen en waar kan je het beste heen?

SPOTLIGHT ACTIVITIES

Fight climate change by planting trees in deserts, steppes or degraded ecosystems worldwide

Fight climate change by planting trees in deserts, steppes or degraded ecosystems worldwide

Fight climate change by planting trees, shrubs and plants in deserts, steppes or degraded ecosystems worldwide. Combine permaculture, agroforestry, organic farming and restoration techniques to create new fertile land full of biodiversity.

Projects on the steppe of Spain, the Sinai desert in Egypt, great planes of South Dakota, the Kenyan savannah and many more. Some projects are pure nature conservation, others pure sustainable farming and others combine the two.

Vrijwilligerswerk of stage in het mangrove bos van Bonaire

Vrijwilligerswerk of stage in het mangrove bos van Bonaire

mangrove bos

Deze vrijwilligersorganisatie is gek van mangroves, vandaar de naam Mangrove Maniacs. Zij zetten zich in voor het behoud en herstel van de mangrovebossen van Bonaire. Dit doen ze door herbebossing, het beheren van de getijde kanalen en door de lokale bevolking te betrekken en te informeren over het belang van deze bossen.

Als vrijwilliger help je bij de diverse activiteiten rond aanplant, opkweken en beheer van mangroves en ondersteun je de aanwezige onderzoekers bij hun onderzoekswerkzaamheden.

Als stagair of onderzoeker voer je je eigen onderzoeksproject uit in het mangrove ecosysteem. Denk bijvoorbeeld aan de rol van mangrove bossen bij het afvangen van CO2, de functie van gezonde bossen voor het lokale toerisme of de visserij, of ontwikkeld eco-educatieve materialen.

Het is een kleine club met weinig middelen (maar voldoende passie voor mangroves) dus je zult creatief, zelfstandig en zelfredzaam moeten zijn.

Bescherm de natuur van de Galapagos eilanden door het bestrijden van invasieve soorten, planten van inheemse soorten en het opruimen van afval
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