Planète Urgence, Indonesia and Mali
Planting Trees for Community Development
In the overall frame of the Green Belt Movement (initiative
launched in Kenya by Wangari Maathaï’s, Nobel Peace Prize 2004) and
of the United Nations Environment Programme, Planète Urgence has
developed its 2 programmes in Indonesia and Mali, with a view to
combine 2 major objectives, usually antagonistic:
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst contributing to the
socio-economic development of the communities impacted by climate
change.
These projects are large-scale and
comprehensive ones, which both pursue the goal to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions through reforestation while contributing to the
socio-economic development of the communities concerned. By getting
them genuinely interested (from an economic viewpoint) in
maintaining the reforested areas, the reforestation process is made
viable and sustainable.
In Indonesia, the project aims at restoring
the mangrove belt in North Sumatra, which has been devastated by
previous and inconsiderate human activities although it does play
an important role in the agro-fishery activities, in the protection
of the littoral and for the local biodiversity. Beyond the
replanting of mangrove trees, support and training for improving
and developing the local shrimp farming activities, in symbiosis
with the reforestation programme, are also undertaken. 1,100
hectares and 90km of coastline, and the 30,000+ local inhabitants
are covered by the programme.
In Mali, although the biophysical
characteristics and the socio-economic context is quite different,
the project develops its reforestation purpose along a similar
route, whereby the trees are being planted with the primary aim of
contributing to the improvement of the communities living
conditions and to their economic development.
In 2012, altogether on both locations, 6
million trees will have been replanted and some 35,000 persons will
have directly or indirectly benefitted from both programmes.
http://www.planete-urgence.org/