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The Great African Regreening

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The Great African Regreening

Millions of 'Magical' New Trees Bring Renewal

The Guardian,

5 min read
5 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

To change the world, all you need is a tree – at least in the West African country of Niger.

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Hot Topic
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Local action can support coordinated initiatives to combat big environmental problems like global warming and rainforest destruction. Farmers are leading the way in making Niger green again by managing the gao tree, and in turn, the tree fertilizes their crops and supports their way of life. The Guardian’s West Africa correspondent Ruth Maclean dives into an eye-opening exploration on the symbiotic relationship between Niger’s people and the tree. This compelling read is perfect for those engaged in environmental or development work, especially with NGOs, or anyone interested in natural solutions to complex problems.

Summary

Since the late 1980s, the West African country of Niger has become home to more than 200 million new trees. Many of them are gao trees, which play a key role in restoring the land’s fertility. Thousands of small-scale farmers tend to the Faidherbia albida trees that grow naturally in the country. In doing so, they’ve sparked an environmental revolution in one of the world’s poorest countries. Many of the region’s forests were cut down to accommodate subsistence farming, but...

About the Author

Ruth Maclean is The Guardian’s West Africa correspondent. She was previously a South Africa and Mexico correspondent for The New York Times.

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