In 2023 collection of 1 tonne of native species tree seeds began with iGiveTrees sponsorship of safe climbing equipment to scale the heights of the Amazon rainforest. After sorting, cleaning and having seeds accredited by the state of Goias, they will be distributed to many regional nurseries.
Image on the left is from prior seed harvests that were grown out in their own nursery and planted on Ashaninka Apiwtxa community land.
In the 2022/2023 cycle – 9,800 native and fruit seedlings were produced. These trees were given to the municipality of Cavalcante to restore public land in September.
In the 2023/2024 cycle – 8,500 native seedlings were produced. They will be planted with the rains, as soon they reach suitable size.
Seeds came from Rede Terra seed bank, collection by family farmers from the Sertão region in Alto Paraíso de Goiás and collections of quilombola families from the Kalunga region of Cavalcante, Goiás.
iGiveTrees has been supporting smallholder reforestation and agroforestry projects in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil since 2010. Field partners collaborated, sharing best practices with one another while also teaching neighbors in their communities in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
10,000 tree plantings can regenerate 20+ hectares of pasture with 500+ trees per hectareusing agroforestry methods to plant food crops among the trees.
Other projects use assisted natural regeneration methods to bring back corridors of forest between neighboring patches.