On this episode of the podcast, we discuss numerous examples of reforestation projects around the world that prioritize communities as well as the environment.

This is a part two to the episode we recently published, “Reforestation is booming, but deforestation rose last year” where I spoke with Mongabay staff writer Liz Kimbrough about the Reforestation Directory she helped launch, a database of hundreds of projects designed to help donors pick which tree-planting initiatives to fund based on criteria that experts say are key to successful reforestation.

One of the projects represented in the database is the Eden Reforestation Projects in Madagascar, which is funded in part by Trees For Climate Health, a program of Jonas Philanthropies.

Erin Axelrod is the project director for Trees For Climate Health, and joins the discussion to share the program’s “right tree, right place, right community” approach, and why local community-based reforestation is key to success. Reforestation projects they support from Haiti to Honduras, Madagascar and South Dakota are also discussed.

We also speak with freelance environmental journalist Mike Tatarski, who recently filed a story for Mongabay about Vietnam’s recently announced plans to plant a billion trees by 2025. Tatarski tells us about the impetus and goals of this nationwide tree-planting effort, Vietnam’s long history of supporting tree planting, the environmental groups that are launching their own smaller-scale reforestation projects in the country in collaboration with local communities, and how the billion-tree planting program must balance the need for economic development with the equally pressing need for environmental protection and restoration.

Here’s further reading on these topics:

• ”How to pick a tree-planting project? Mongabay launches transparency tool to help supporters decide”

• ”‘Drastic forest development’: Vietnam to plant 1 billion trees — but how?”

You can listen to the Mongabay Newscast episode about the Mongabay Reforestation Directory here:

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Follow Mike Gaworecki on Twitter: @mikeg2001

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