What a Tree-umph!
Your June hike with Morfo
Hi there,
These past 6 months have been incredibly active for MORFO. We have now completed 12 reforestation projects in Brazil, French Guiana, and Gabon, planting over 40 different species. Our biodiversity team has studied 180 species, which are now cataloged. Additionally, our drones have collected 300 GB of field images.
Today, the growth of our trees is the most rewarding outcome. However, the month of June has also brought other achievements. We were honored with the "Climate & Environment" startup award at the prestigious Vivatech event. Le Monde published an op-ed written by Professor Robin Duponnois, with whom we have been collaborating for two years. We signed an agreement for the reforestation of the Great Green Wall, the world's biggest ecosystem restoration project.
We are currently preparing new projects, with upcoming plantations planned once winter has passed in the Southern Hemisphere. Our agenda includes projects in Brazil, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and perhaps a few surprises...
Pascal, Co-founder of MORFO
🏆 - AWARDS
Viva Technology: best innovation in the "Environment & Climate" category
We attended Europe's top startup and tech event, VivaTech in Paris, and proudly won two prizes including the best innovation in the “Environment & Climate” category. In 4 days, we engaged with approx. 5,000 visitors, including startups, investors, journalists, and tech professionals, showcasing our forest ecosystem restoration techniques. We delivered six on-stage speeches, participated in over 20 interviews.
✅ - A CHECKLIST
5 facts to check before committing to a reforestation service
Before committing to a reforestation service and guarantee the success of your reforestation project, you must make sure that they respect 5 crucial rules: planting with biodiversity, preliminary soil analysis, monitoring and evaluation, involving local communities and understanding the local ecosystem. By considering these factors, we can increase the likelihood of successful reforestation efforts and make a positive impact on our environment.
🫂 - THE TEAM
Example of a project diagnostic in Gabon
Our team visited Gabon's Moanda region this month for a pre-project diagnostic mission for a mining operation. The trip aimed to gather vital information on soil, ecology, economics, and social aspects of the area. This data is crucial for creating a tailored planting strategy and ensuring the project's success. Another goal was to meet seed collectors from the region, ensuring that the future restoration of the area will be done with locally sourced seeds from native plant species, while also benefiting local communities. Stay tuned to learn about them!
💙 - A PARTNER
Discover our partner in Bahia, Brazil: Natureza Bela
We partnered with Natureza Bela, an environmental organization, for our latest project in Bahia. They provided invaluable expertise in the native ecosystem, collecting and growing tree saplings in their nurseries. These saplings were manually planted in April. Natureza Bela, founded in 2001, is an exceptional organization that has reforested over 735 hectares across 7 projects, equivalent to about 1000 football fields. Their missions include nature conservation, environmental education, citizenship empowerment, and restoration of degraded areas through native seedling planting and monitoring.
🎙️ - SOME PODCASTS
The 15 best podcasts on climate change and carbon solutions
Whether you're already involved in the fight against climate change or just curious to find out more, these English-language podcasts podcasts will provide you with a wealth of information, informed debates and inspiring stories. Hosted by experts, scientists and activists, these podcasts offer in-depth discussions and valuable information to better understand and act on this global crisis.
📊 - A STAT
The most forested countries in the world
Do you know the 30 most forested countries in the world? Organize a trivia game with your colegues, friends or family, and be sure to win! Do you want to know the forest coverage of your country, and what number in the ranking it is? Just ask us in the comments of this newsletter!
🔍 - We also recommend reading…
Just like every month, we end this newsletter with a few articles that we wanted to share with you:
8 innovative startups that support biodiversity: Read it here 🇬🇧
The best free courses to learn about sustainability: Read it here 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇧🇷
Planting forests with diverse tree species increases likelihood of success: Read it here 🇬🇧
Exploring potential new species in Brazil’s Forgotten Forest: Understand the incredible treasure trove of biodiversity known as the Atlantic Forest. Watch the video here 🇬🇧
🌍 Thank you for reading this newsletter until the end! If you enjoyed it, please share it with your audience, friends, or colleagues. And don’t forget to follow our social media platforms.
We'll be back again in July!
MORFO