Project location

La Tigra National Park, Honduras

Project Impact

Eden Reforestation employs thousands of people, creating nearly 6 million workdays through their projects in Madagascar, Haiti, Nepal, Indonesia, Mozambique, Kenya, Nicaragua, and Honduras. 

Today, the majority of trees are planted at Eden's project site in Honduras. However, the first Eden Project was brought to life in Ethiopia in 2005. At the time, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Hailemariuam Deslegn, invited Dr. Stephen Fitch to take over a reforestation project near Hawassa, Ethiopia. Local communities were employed and in less than 10 years, over 15mn trees were planted and protected by over 3,500 local community members. The success was evident, and Eden has grown in scale and impact, setting up projects worldwide. Each grow site is carefully selected for maximum environmental and social impact, following its core mission of using reforestation as a means to alleviate extreme poverty and protect our planet.  

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Why plant in Honduras

Project Details

Consequences of forest loss

Our natural world is critical for human survival. Yet nearly 75% of the earth’s surface has been altered and impacted by human activity, threatening the very ecosystems and species we rely on. Widespread deforestation not only hurts plant and animal life but also jeopardises the ability of local communities to live sustainably off of dwindling natural resources.

Deforestation is a fundamental risk for nearly 1.6 billion people worldwide who depend on forests for their livelihood, including 70 million indigenous people. Land clearing for agricultural use, mining, commercial activity, logging, wildfires, and fuelwood harvesting all contribute to the deforestation of these vital habitats. The unsustainable use of forest land is a vicious cycle that can lead to further soil erosion, desertification, increased flooding and ultimately reduced agricultural productivity, putting further pressure on limited resources. 

Eden Reforestation Projects fight deforestation and alleviate poverty by employing local communities to restore their natural ecosystems. Eden only plants native tree species to maintain natural biodiversity, and so far, have planted more than 500 million trees around the world. In addition to manually planting millions of trees, Eden Projects have discovered that once natural regeneration kicks in, their tree planting efforts are organically multiplied.

Why restore in Honduras?

Between 2011 and 2015, Honduras lost 500,000 hectares (nearly 2,000 sq. miles, 5,000 sq. kilometers) of forest due to an infestation of disease-carrying pine beetles. The destruction of forests caused water tables to run low, protected areas to lose valuable biodiversity, and surrounding communities to lose jobs. By working directly with local communities to reforest these regions, our team is helping restore the water supply, create a natural habitat for local wildlife, and provide communities with job opportunities and resources to build up their economy.

In 2020, Eden Reforestation began working with communities in Honduras with the long-term goal of restoring 50,000 hectares (193 sq. miles, 500 sq. kilometers) by 2025. By reforesting degraded regions with native tree species, the goal is to contribute to generating sustainable economic opportunities for communities to restore and protect large forest areas, which will help preserve the watershed and biodiversity at project sites.

The process of restoration

The 10 project sites in Honduras use multiple restoration techniques, such as seedlings and singling, to help restore over 11,000 hectares (46 sq. miles, 120 sq. kilometers) of land while helping local communities achieve food security and a fair wage. Over the last two years, the team has been able to identify how each species best germinates, ensuring long-term forest growth.

UN Sustainable Development Goals contributed to

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 interconnected global objectives aimed at addressing pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges by 2030. They serve as a blueprint for collective action, guiding governments, businesses, and communities worldwide towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

This project contributes to the following goals

Verification

Eden Reforestation Projects is registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit organisation headquartered in California, USA. They are endorsed on the United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Platform and are recognised as a leading actor in international reforestation efforts and ‘Employ to Plant’ methodology. You can learn more about their impact here