Ethiopia Shifts Tree-Planting Focus to Sustainability, Community Ownership
-Over 7.5 bln Saplings targeted for 2025 Green Legacy Campaign
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia is taking a more strategic and sustainable approach to reforestation as it sets an ambitious goal of planting 7.5 billion tree saplings this year, with a strong emphasis on restoring degraded land and increasing community ownership in forest conservation.
In an exclusive interview with the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), the Ethiopian Forest Development (EFD) Degraded Land Restoration Desk and the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) Head Goraw Belete emphasized that this year’s campaign is not just about numbers, but about impact, quality, and long-term survival.
To achieve the target, 6.5 billion saplings have already been identified for planting across 600,000 hectares of degraded land. These areas have been geographically mapped for real-time tracking and evaluation.
Goraw noted that the majority of seedlings prepared are multipurpose and agroforestry species, aimed at benefiting both the environment and local economies. “We are now seeing a shift from traditional mass-planting to planting that’s tailored to the local context–economically beneficial trees, fruit trees, and species that restore soil health,” he said.
Currently, 120,000 nursery stations are active across the country–up from just 45,000 before the launch of the Green Legacy Initiative. These nurseries are operated by a mix of government bodies, communities, private sector actors, and NGOs, creating a broad base of engagement in the campaign.
Importantly, Goraw highlighted that last year’s first-round seedlings achieved a remarkable survival rate of 88.6%, with an average survival rate of over 81% over the past six years. This improvement is largely attributed to increased public awareness, better post-planting care, and growing local ownership of the reforestation efforts.
“The work doesn’t end when a tree is planted,” Goraw stressed. “What matters is conservation–ensuring the trees survive and contribute to both the ecology and the economy of the area.”
He added that community members, especially farmers, are becoming more engaged in planting economically viable species like fruit and fodder trees, with rising ownership of the planted seedlings.
Thanks to these sustained efforts, Ethiopia’s forest coverage has now reached 23.6%, with a national target of hitting 30% by 2030. Fruit tree coverage and restored degraded lands are also on the rise, marking a significant leap in environmental rehabilitation.
The Green Legacy Initiative, launched in 2019, has evolved into a model for environmental recovery, combining climate resilience, food security, and green jobs. With strong grassroots participation and improved planting strategies, this year’s campaign aims to leave a lasting legacy–not just more trees, but thriving ecosystems and empowered communities.
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 11 APRIL 2025
Crédito: Link de origem