Planting

Brazil

Marieke IJsendoorn

The black-headed squirrel monkey

Brazil is the largest country in South America and it is where you can find almost one billion acres of the Atlantic Rainforest. There are about two million different kinds of insects that live in the Amazon Rainforest! And about one out of every five birds in the entire world lives in the Amazon.

But this ancient forest is shrinking. Why? Because when sugar cane was grown in Brazil, farmers had to cut down trees to plant their crops. Then, after the sugar cane stopped being farmed, cattle ranchers came along which caused even more damage to the land.

Now, because so many trees have been destroyed, water springs are drying up, soil is being washed away and many endangered plants and animals are disappearing, including the Amazon River Dolphin and the Black-headed Squirrel Monkey. . . . Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso

Trees for the Future

An acacia fence in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is in West Africa. The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso is home to many different plants and animals. As well as elephants, hippos, and lions, Burkina Faso has many rare kinds of animals such as the African Wild Dog and the African Clawless Otter! There are also hundreds of different bird species as well.

Unfortunately the forests that many of these animals and birds live in are under threat. Burkina Faso has lost much of its forest cover over the last few decades because of drought, overgrazing of livestock and deforestation. A lot of trees get taken down as the population increases and people use the wood from trees for fuel and for building materials.

The government of Burkina Faso is trying to protect the forests from being destroyed by establishing wildlife reserves and national parks. . . . Burundi

Burundi

Trees for the Future

A tree nursery in Burundi

Burundi is a country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa. It is home to many people and many different kinds of plants and animals. It is also a country rich in natural resources like cobalt and copper.

Much of Burundi is used for agriculture (sugar and coffee are two big exports of this country). Because the population is growing, many people cut down trees to build their communities. Unfortunately, the bird and animal communities suffer as a result! People cut down trees for fuel and also for grazing areas for livestock. Another threat to the trees of Burundi has been civil war.

Because their homes in the forests are being threatened, a lot of wildlife in Burundi is threatened. In fact, because their habitat has been destroyed, gorillas and elephants are extinct in Burundi! . . . Cameroon

Cameroon

Trees for the Future

Planting in Cameroon

Cameroon is a western African country. Nearly half of its people live in or near Cameroon’s 22 million hectares of forest. There has been a lot of damage to the forest because of logging, which is when trees are cut down to make furniture or building supplies or paper.

Many animals, birds, and insects live in the trees, so when trees are cut down, it is very hard for the wildlife because their homes disappear.

Humans need places to live, but so do birds like the Speckled Mousebird and the Black-Collared Lovebird, two birds that live in Cameroon! In the western highlands of Cameroon there are over 900 species of birds and 15 of those species are endangered because of damage to the forest.

The highlands are also home to endangered primates like chimpanzees and gorillas, including the Cross River Gorilla, the most rare gorilla in the world! . . . Canada

Canada

Alan Vernon

Marmot pups

Canada is the second largest country in the world and is home to approximately 70,000 species of plants and animals! Canada is known for having a lot of trees. In fact, the symbol for Canada is the maple leaf! Even though there are lots of trees in Canada, there is still a need to protect the trees that already exist and plant even more, especially in urban areas.

On Vancouver Island there is a small furry mammal called a marmot that is threatened because logging on Vancouver Island has made the marmots more vulnerable to predators, disease and changes in vegetation. In the northern part of Canada, just below the Arctic Circle, there is a forest called the boreal forest. This forest helps protect other plants and animals from the effects of climate change.

When the trees get cut down, carbon gets released into the atmosphere. All the animals and plants that can’t survive in warmer climates would then have nowhere to go. It is really important that this forest is protected! . . . Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Trees for the Future

Harvesting moringa

Ethiopia is a country in what is called the Horn of Africa. It has a huge variety of plant and animal species. In some areas the mountains are covered with shrubs such as jasmine, pyracantha, and poinsettia. Poinsettia is the plant that people in many countries associate with Christmas!

Animals that live in the Great Rift Valley region of Ethiopia include lions, elephants, gazelle, antelope, and lots of different species of monkey. But the population of Ethiopia’s wildlife is declining at a really fast rate. Why? Because the population of Ethiopia’s human life is increasing! Ethiopia has the second highest population in all of Africa.

For years and years, many people have farmed land in Ethiopia without worrying about how their farming affects the environment. As well, because so many people live in Ethiopia, many trees are cut down every day for fuel, for building supplies, and to expand farms. Taking down the trees makes the soil less arable (which means you can’t grow crops). It also causes erosion. . . . Ghana

Ghana

Trees for the Future

A tree nursery in Ghana

Ghana is located in West Africa and is home to many interesting animals including the Serval Cat which looks like a miniature cheetah with black-on-gold spots, and the Olive Baboon, which has a u-shaped tail and a head like a dog! These animals share Ghana’s forests with many other animals, snakes, birds, and butterflies.

Ghana has lots of natural resources. This is good for the people of Ghana. However, these natural resources haven’t always been looked after properly. And so, in the past 50 years, Ghana’s rainforest has been reduced by 90%. Ghana loses 2% of its forest cover every year! This is because trees are cut down so the land can be used for farming. Trees are also cut down for fuel.

When the trees get cut down, bush fires occur. Other things like logging, gold mining, and overgrazing by farm animals have made it really hard to be a tree in Ghana. . . . Guinea

Guinea

Jakub Friedl

A Guinea Baboon

Guinea is a country in West Africa. It used to be known as French Guinea. It is rich in natural resources. It has diamonds, gold, and other minerals.

Many people in Guinea farm bananas, pineapples, coffee, peanuts, and palm oil. Guinea is also rich in wildlife! The Guinea Baboon, for example, lives in the forests in the southeast. But life for the Guinea Baboon is difficult as more and more of the forest gets cut down.

Between 1990 and 1995 Guinea lost 1.14% of its forest and woodland each year! Mining has also been the reason much of the forest has been disappearing. This is a huge problem, not just for baboons but also for all the other animals and birds in Guinea that are considered endangered too. . . . Haiti

Haiti

Trees for the Future

Planting in Haiti

Haiti is a Caribbean country that is right next to the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. Haiti has been in the news recently because in January 2010 an earthquake devastated Haiti’s capital city Port-au-Prince. The earthquake killed more than 150,000 people and made life very difficult for the people who survived.

A hundred years ago Haiti had lots of forest cover. But over the years, the forests have been cut down for fuel. This deforestation has caused flooding and mudslides.

Life is very hard for the people of Haiti. It’s hard for the birds and animals too: animals like the Caiman, which is a type of crocodile, and flamingos, the long-legged pink wading birds. . . . Honduras

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Honduras

Trees for the Future

Honduran children holding plants they are growing

Honduras is in Central America, where it borders the Caribbean Sea on the north and the Pacific Ocean on the south. Honduras is a mountainous country.

It has so many different species of plants and animals, it is considered a biodiversity hotspot! There are more than 700 bird species and 110 mammal species in Honduras. There are hundreds of different types of orchids too!

Honduras has rain forests, cloud forests, and savannas. In the forests of Honduras you’ll find scarlet macaws, tapirs, butterflies, jaguars, sloths, and armadillos. There are massive trees in the Honduran forests like ceiba or kapok trees, which can grow up to 200 feet!

Many people in Honduras make their living farming. Coffee and bananas are the two main crops. Unfortunately, the forests in Honduras are disappearing. If changes don’t happen soon, scientists are worried that Honduras could be treeless within the next 20 years! . . . India

India

Trees for the Future

Transporting seethaphal saplings

India is a huge country in South Asia. It’s home to over a billion people!

In the northwest part of India, almost one million acres of land get flooded every year. A thousand miles away from the flood zones, many people have to deal with drought and a lack of fresh water.

India’s forest cover ranges from tropical rainforests in Northeast India to coniferous forests in the mountains of the Himalaya. The national tree of India is the Banyan tree. In many areas of India trees have been cleared to make way for people and farms. This causes erosion, which is a big problem. Other problems are overgrazing of livestock and cutting down trees for fuel.

The big tsunami of 2003 also washed away many trees in the southeastern part of India. When trees come down, wildlife is threatened. An example of this is the most endangered animal in India—the Dhole, which is a type of wild dog. Because the forests are disappearing in India, this amazing animal is disappearing too! . . . Kenya

Kenya

Trees for the Future

Students in Kenya get involved in tree planting

Kenya is in East Africa and is well known for its amazing wildlife reserves, which are home to thousands of animals like lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinoceroses, and elephants! Many people like to go to Kenya on wildlife safaris.

Kenya has over 40 varieties of the acacia tree, and in the mountains of Kenya, you will find dense groves of bamboo, cedar, and junipers. Often, bright orchids and flowering creepers grow among the trees.

Unfortunately, Kenya is facing its worst drought in decades, which has destroyed many crops and livestock. Nearly four million Kenyans urgently need food. Extensive deforestation has been the result as trees are cut down for firewood and other uses. . . . Mali

Mali

Trees for the Future

Planting trees in Mali

Mali is a country in Western Africa. It is shaped like a butterfly! The great Niger River flows through Mali, and much of the country is covered by the Sahara Desert. Have you ever heard of a city called Timbuktu? It is in Mali!

Because there is so little rainfall in Mali, droughts are common. There are other environmental challenges as well. Things like deforestation, desertification, and soil erosion all make life very difficult for the people and the wildlife of Mali.

There are 146 animal species and over 600 bird species in Mali. Violet Turacos, Abyssian Rollers, Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, and the Egyptian Plover are just some of the birds that live in Mali and depend on trees for their survival. . . . Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Trees for the Future

Young tree planters in Nicaragua

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America. It has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world! You will find oaks, pines, moss, ferns, and orchids in the cloud forests of the North Central Highlands of Nicaragua.

There is a forest in the lowlands of Nicaragua that is the largest rainforest north of the Amazon in Brazil. In this forest you can find monkeys, anteaters, eagles, turkeys and macaws.

Forest fires are a big problem in Nicaragua. Also, much of the forests are cleared for agriculture, cattle grazing and logging. In fact, between 1990 and 2005, Nicaragua lost 21% of its forest cover.

In 1998, the President of Nicaragua banned logging of cedar, mahogany, and bombox trees for a five-year period to try to protect the wildlife that needs the trees to survive. . . . Niger

Niger

Roland Hunziker

A giraffe in Niger

Niger is a country in Western Africa that is named after the Niger River. Most of Niger is covered by the Sahara Desert, and the part that isn’t is threatened by the desert taking over!

Most people in Niger farm and raise livestock for a living. Periods of drought and the growing population have a harmful effect on the ecology in Niger. The trees of Niger are used for firewood, and they provide wood for construction.

Because there is so much hunger in Niger, trees are really needed because they do such a good job helping protect the soil, which helps farmers protect their crops. Acacia trees are common in Niger. In fact, one thing you might see in Niger is a giraffe munching on the leaves of the Acacia tree! . . . Philippines

Philippines

Roberto Verzo

A Philippines Tarsier

The Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. It is an archipelago made up of 7,107 islands.

Recently many people have lost their jobs in the big cities of the Philippines, and a lot of people have moved to rural areas to try to make a living as farmers. As a result, many trees are being cut down. In fact forests used to cover 94% of the Philippines. Now they cover just 7%!

The trees are used for firewood and for building materials. When this happens, hillsides don’t have trees to protect the soil when it rains, and erosion occurs. This often causes mudslides too.

This is very hard on the wildlife that calls the forests home–animals like the cute and loveable Philippines Tarsier, one of the smallest primates on the planet! Tarsiers are now only found in small pockets of forest on a few of the Philippines islands. Philippine bats are also threatened because of a loss to their habitat. . . . Senegal

Senegal

Trees for the Future

Planting trees in Senegal

Senegal is in Western Africa. There are several Natural Reserves in Senegal that are homes for all kinds of wildlife like lions, antelopes, leopards, hippos, and baboons. There is also a very famous bird sanctuary that is home to an amazing collection of birds including cormorants, pelicans, ducks, and flamingos.

Many people in Senegal are poor and don’t have enough to eat. A lot of the forests in Senegal get cut down for firewood and for construction. People are cutting down trees further and further into the forests.

Add to that the fact that the Sahelian Desert is expanding throughout the country, and it is clear that the people and the birds and the animals of this nation need more trees. . . . Tanzania

Tanzania

Koen Muurling

Mount Kilimanjaro…snow in Africa!

Tanzania is located in central East Africa. You will find Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania. You’ll also find Africa’s deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika. There are many wildlife parks in Tanzania. The famous Dr. Jane Goodall studies the behaviour of chimpanzees in Gombe National Park in Tanzania.

Unfortunately, deforestation is a big problem in this country. In fact, the deforestation on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro has allowed the hot air from the Serengeti Plain to reach the top and speed up the melting of its glaciers!

There are so many different birds found in Tanzania but many are threatened. Lots of people travel to Tanzania to go on safaris. But because of poverty and poor farming practices, the forests of Tanzania are disappearing. This is bad news for the newly discovered and extremely rare monkey that lives in Tanzania called the Kipunji! . . . Uganda

Uganda

Trees for the Future

Planting seedlings in Uganda

Uganda is a country in East Africa and is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world! The famous Winston Churchill once called Uganda the “Pearl of Africa.”

Much of Uganda is made up of forests and savannas, lakes and rivers. And even though there are lots of forests in Uganda, thousands of trees are cut down every year to make way for land for livestock to graze on. Many trees are cut down for firewood as well. This causes problems for the forest animals of Uganda.

One of the world’s most endangered species, the Mountain Gorilla, lives in the thick rainforests of Uganda. There are only about 700 left in the world and over half of them live in Uganda! Other endangered animals that call the forests of Uganda their home are chimpanzees, wild dogs, and Giant African Water Shrews. . . . United States

United States

Trees for the Future

Planting in the the United States

The United States of America (or the U.S. as it is also known) is in North America. Well, most of it is. The U.S. also includes the state of Alaska, which is in the northwest bordered by Canada, and Hawaii, which is an archipelago right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!

The U.S. has a really big population of people and wildlife. In fact the U.S. has what is known as a mega-diverse ecology. That means it has a lot of different plant and wildlife species. There are about 17,000 species of vascular plants (like ferns), 1800 species of flowering plants, 400 mammals, and 750 bird species!

There are magnificent forests all over the U.S. including giant redwood trees in California. Some of those trees are 2500 years old! Many of the forests in the U.S. are damaged every year because of wildfires. The timber industry also cuts down many trees too. This makes it hard for the wildlife that lives in the trees, like the Bald Eagle, the symbol of America. . . . Zambia

Zambia

Trees for the Future

A young girl helps plant a tree in Zambia

Zambia is a country in Southern Africa. It is home to Victoria Falls, which may be the largest waterfall in the world!

Zambia has incredible wildlife that depends on the trees of Zambia for its survival. There are over 749 species of birds including doves, nightjars, kingfishers, hornbills, and the snake eagle. The very rare, very large shoebill stork also lives in Zambia (it gets its name from its shoe-shaped bill). Unfortunately for the shoebill stork and other birds, the forest that forms part of its ecosystem is under threat from deforestation and soil erosion as well as poor farming techniques.

Because many of the people of Zambia live in poverty, the trees are often cut down for fuel and to make way for farms.