The largest restoration of forests along the Mediterranean
17,000
km of coastline
24
countries
47 million
trees planted
You can make a real difference for nature and the climate
The Mediterranean Green Belt represents the largest restoration of forests along the Mediterranean and a major green infrastructure in southern Europe. We have already planted over 47 million trees and restored 75,000 hectares of forest, equivalent to 105,000 football fields, with the United Nations.
Degraded and burned forests often need human help to recover. Each tree keeps alive a global ecosystem with its vegetation and biodiversity.
Restored and managed forests perform their ecological functions better, absorb more CO2 and are more resilient to the impact of climate change.
Planting and protecting trees in one part of the Mediterranean benefits the whole Mediterranean and the climate.
Restoring Mediterranean forests is urgent
The Mediterranean is a region of the world where forests are suffering the most from climate change. It is also the hottest region in Europe, where forests most need to be protected. 95% of forest fires in Europe take place in the Mediterranean. Fires are more violent and more frequent. They burn thousands of hectares every year, killing millions of trees and destroying animal life. Desertification and soil erosion affect entire regions. One in five animal species is threatened with extinction due to forest loss. Without its forests, which are essential for regulating the local climate and sustaining animal life, the much-loved landscapes of the Mediterranean will be lost forever and Mediterranean agriculture, which gives its products to the world, will be more exposed to droughts and diseases.
More than planting…
- We plant trees in degraded and burned forests.
- We help young trees born alone and still fragile to grow.
- We build shelters and water points for animals.
- We open areas and create paths without vegetation to prevent and fight fires.
- We build erosion barriers to prevent landslides.
The restoration and protection work is done during a large part of the year. Planting begins after summer, with the first rains allowing the trees to take root better, and continues until the first weeks of spring, depending on the weather.
Mediterranean green Belt
For a greener world and the climate
By joining the Mediterranean Green Belt you contribute to the commitment of the Mediterranean countries, endorsed by the United Nations (FAO), to restore 8 million hectares of forests, encompassing more than 5 billon trees, by 2030.
PRIORITY FOREST RESTORATION
We select priority sites for planting and protecting trees in collaboration with the environmental department of each region and according to the World Resource Institute map and the ESRI geographic information system.
Forest Restoration Areas
WE ALL DEPEND ON FORESTS
FORESTS NEED US ALL
Protecting nature is the best way to invest in the future
“Global challenges like climate change, the unprecedented loss of biodiversity, and the spread of devastating pandemics are sending a clear message: it’s time to fix our broken relationship with nature.” Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
RESTORE MEDITERRANEAN FORESTS NOW
Arboreal supports the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, to halt the degradation of ecosystems and restore them. With healthy ecosystems we can fight climate change, protect biodiversity and enhance people’s livelihoods.
Arboreal participates in the European Union project LIFE FOREST CO2, for the promotion of forestry systems and sustainable forest management to fight climate change through the removal of CO2 emissions in the land use and forestry sector.