![ERC Greenpop's 2024 Reforest Fest, South Africa]()
ERC Greenpop's 2024 Reforest Fest, South Africa
With Earth Day being celebrated on Monday 22 April isn't it good to know that you are part of the solution to the environmental challenges our planet is facing? By donating to Ecosystem Restoration Communities you're helping to create lasting, systemic change in over 30 countries already - and counting!
And thanks to you, so much has already happened on the ground in 2024 - and we're only four months into the year! Here's just a snapshot of what your contribution has been supporting.
Reforest Fest down South
Every year, ERC Greenpop in South Africa hosts their hugely popular Reforest Fest about 2 hours' drive from Cape Town, where all things green and sustainable are celebrated. More than 1,000 earth restorers came together in the last weekend of March to join in the festivities and plant 5,000 indigenous trees in the Uilenkraal Valley, where 45 hectares of degraded forest patches are being restored through alien vegetation management, natural regeneration management, and, of course, active tree planting.
Who said the Algarve was just for sunbathing?
We're thrilled to welcome a new restoration community in Portugal to the movement! ERC Quinta Vale da Lama is located in the south west of the Iberian Peninsula on the Algarve, where they are tackling historic land degradation and climate change by restoring the land's natural water cycle and soil fertility, to create a healthier farm ecosystem and local community. They also host regular events to encourage participation by all - such as their April ecosystem restoration event taking place next week! If you can't make it, watch their intro video instead for some armchair inspo!
Seeding the future in India
In January, a community seed bank was inaugurated by a local women’s group of community farmers, assisted by ERC Khetee. This initiative is part of the Khetee's ongoing effort to address challenges faced by local farmers, and includes running a one-year fellowship program where women and youths are learning regenerative agroforestry practices through implementing and managing agroforestry on the land.
For the love of science
We love science, because it helps prove the power of ecosystem restoration (to those still in doubt!). So you can imagine our excitement at having embarked on a new Monitoring & Evaluation project to involve more everyday people in ecosystem restoration monitoring. Funded by Erasmus+ (the EU's programme for education, training, youth and sport) "RestorACTION" is being driven by ERC Rocciaviva in Matera, Italy, and will document the process of creating an online database and mobile application to help community-led restoration projects measure, increase, and share the impact of their efforts to restore degraded ecosystems. Our goal is to improve local community understanding of ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, desertification and climate change, by training them as citizen scientists, and providing the right tools to actively involve the community in environmental monitoring.
Did you know, that ERC Rocciaviva is a true lighthouse of hope and restoration potential, not only for farmers in Matera, Italy, but for people everywhere looking to restore community and ecological balance on agricultural land. Watch their inspiring story here.
Finding food security in the desert
After four years of experimenting with quinoa to choose the most suitable seed variety for the local area, ERC Habiba Community in Egypt's South Sinai Peninsula has now successfully harvested their first crop - sown from seeds collected from last year's harvest. Habiba is no stranger to farming in a harsh, arid climate and this legendary regenerative farm already delivers an array of produce. Now they can produce quinoa flour too, as an alternative to wheat flour for which Egypt is largely reliant on imports. Quinoa can handle the salinity of the soil in the region, and its gluten-free property adds to the appeal of this ancient grain and superfood - so named because it is a complete source of protein and great source of fibre.
Capturing rainwater for communities in the Andes
Construction of much-needed water catchments and infiltration structures recently began at ERC Chocaya and Chacapaya, located in the harsh environment of the Bolivian Andes. Thanks to our generous donors, we're well on our way to building 6 new concrete water reservoirs and 6 water infiltration ‘lakes’ and channels. Once built, these structures will be able to irrigate 200 agroforestry plots in the dry season and provide drinking water at schools. This video update says it all.
Not all earth restorers carry spades!
The team at ERC Rancho Cacachilas in Mexico are making huge progress in their water retention landscapes by creating gabion structures that retain and slow water flow, and prevent soil erosion. This restoration community has been set up on a ranch to restore land that was previously mainly cattle and goat agriculture. Restoration techniques like this are critical to ensure groundwater recharge and improved surface water flows.
Get busy in your own back yard - a DIY guide
We've been breaking down the science-y stuff in our new blog series called How to restore the earth in your back yard. The first two blogs are live, so grab a coffee and enjoy the reads!
We cannot sign off without saying another THANK YOU for being part of #TeamERC. It means so much to us, and to the almost 70 restoration communities around the world!
Best wishes,
Cath, Cristina and the ERC team
![ERC Quinta Vale da Lama, Portugal]()
ERC Quinta Vale da Lama, Portugal
![Growing quinoa at ERC Habiba Community, Egypt]()
Growing quinoa at ERC Habiba Community, Egypt
![New water structures at ERC Chocaya, Bolivia]()
New water structures at ERC Chocaya, Bolivia
![A new community seed bank in Bihar, India]()
A new community seed bank in Bihar, India
![Building gabions at ERC Rancho Cacachilas, Mexico]()
Building gabions at ERC Rancho Cacachilas, Mexico
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