Memory Forests – honouring each COVID death in Brazil while restoring the Atlantic Forest

A campaign created by a meta-network of Brazilian conservation organisations Bosques da Memória is set to honour the victims of the pandemic and health workers and, at the same time, encourage forest restoration under the UN Decade the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).  The goal is to plant at least 200.000 trees -one tree for each person who died of COVID- in six months.

The Atlantic Forest extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the north to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south, and inland as far as Paraguay. Today it is reduced to 11.73% of its original vegetation being one of Brazil’s most degraded ecosystems.

The "Memory Forests" will be planted in areas that need overall regeneration in vegetation and habitat for the fauna. Plantations are to be registered in a database, with location, the number of trees, species and photos to monitor vitality and growth.  The meta-network composed by Pact for the Restoration of the Atlantic Forest, Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, Atlantic Forest NGO Network are inviting individuals, landowners, NGOs and local governments to respond to the tragic deaths, fires and deforestation that have accelerated in Brazil in 2020.

The landmark Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 declared by the United Nations aims to massively scale up restoration efforts to breathe new life into our planet’s increasingly fragile ecosystems. The Decade on Ecosystem Restoration has been backed by countries from all latitudes and development stages, expressing support for a massive international effort to restore the natural world, enhance water supply and food security, and fight the climate crisis.

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