Can planting a trillion trees actually save our planet's biodiversity?

Nature · Published 11 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Ecologist Thomas Crowther's research sparked the UN's massive Trillion Trees Campaign, but reforestation is not a simple fix. While restoring ecosystems is vital for reviving a damaged planet, poorly managed efforts can actually harm the very environments they aim to protect. Success requires more than just planting trees.

The quest to restore Earth's biodiversity has moved from academic research to global action. Thomas Crowther, an ecologist, led research on reforestation that helped catalyze the United Nations' Trillion Trees Campaign, a movement involving millions of citizens, scientists, and politicians. To support these efforts, the Restor platform was created as an expansive database to help people track restoration and conservation sites worldwide. This digital tool enables individuals to contribute to global ecosystem recovery from any location. By using this platform, users can upload data regarding their own local restoration projects.

However, the process is fraught with complexity. Reforestation is not a universal remedy for the climate and biodiversity crises, and improper management can damage existing ecosystems. Effective restoration requires specific, proven practices. For example, in Senegal's Casamance River delta, farmers are planting millions of mangrove buds. This effort combats saltwater intrusion that has turned farmland into barren fields, leveraging mangroves' natural ability to act as saltwater barriers and carbon absorbers. These coastal forests also play a crucial role in slowing the spread of deserts. Such natural barriers are essential for protecting diverse biological communities.

Success stories offer blueprints for different scales of intervention. Costa Rica has become a global laboratory for decarbonization, standing as the only tropical country to reverse deforestation; forests now cover more than half of its surface. Meanwhile, Rwanda is working toward a massive goal to plant 2 million hectares of new forests by 2030 to combat desertification. These diverse approaches—from community-based agroforestry in Chicago to large-scale national projects—demonstrate that restoring nature requires a nuanced, multi-faceted strategy. The nation generates nearly all of its power from renewable energy sources. Additionally, Rwanda's reforestation initiatives are already showing visible regrowth within a single year.

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