Local communities have developed the reforestation project in Soddo hand in hand with the NGO World Vision. The members of the communities living around Mount Damota are directly responsible for the project implementation. Up-to-date they have planted 48,000 trees and have further re-established a huge area for natural forest regeneration. Besides being an outstanding example for including local participation, the project achieves improvements for climate protection, biodiversity and regional development. The project is one of the few being managed as a “Gold Standard Transition Project“. For its ecological and social benefits, it has further been CCBS validated.

Ecological benefits
• Areas for species protection
• Erosion control and water protection, mitigation of mudslides, restoration of natural streams

Social and economical benefits
• Project builds on participation and self-determination of local communities
• Permanent and fair employment for the local population (more than 100 jobs created so far)
• Workshops on sustainable agriculture: establishing of a tree nursery in order to cultivate local vegetables such as native spinach or corn as well as medicinal plants
• A share of the project revenue goes to additional education, health and environmental programmes