Natural Climate Solutions
Natural climate solutions offer immediate and cost-effective ways to tackle the climate crisis—while also supporting healthy, thriving communities and ecosystems.
Reforestation A worker holds various native species in a reforestation project area in Extrema, Minas Gerais, Brazil. © Felipe Fittipaldi
The world needs trees. They provide clean air, clean water, habitat for wildlife and outdoor enjoyment. Working forests are often critical to local and regional economies. For many Indigenous Peoples, forests are an important link to traditional ways of life and livelihoods. Trees make local communities more resilient to extreme heat and flooding, and they boost our emotional and physical well-being.
Reforestation means restoring trees to the places where they historically existed and where they can grow into healthy forests. This can be done by letting young trees grow back naturally or by planting new seeds or seedlings.
There are opportunities to restore forests all over the world.
When reforestation is informed by the best science and done in partnership with local communities, it can restore balance to the ecosystem; support economic opportunities; and help tackle the combined challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Reforestation projects around the world
Examples
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- China
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China
Ant Forest has grown to over 690 million participants, who have planted as many as, 475 million trees across China. Behind these impressive numbers is a continuous partnership and support from TNC.
- Texas
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Texas
In Texas, TNC’s Southmost Preserve nursery is an opportunity to bring back the iconic Montezuma cypress.
- Agroforestry as a Climate Solution
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Agroforestry as a Climate Solution
Adding native trees to agricultural lands improves biodiversity and farmer livelihoods and can help address the climate crisis at a global scale.
- Guatemala
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Guatemala
Today, productive reforestation is becoming a driver of sustainability throughout the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Instead of clearing forests to produce food, our strategy integrates native forests and farms.
- Minnesota
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Minnesota
Reaching our goal of reforesting one million acres in Minnesota would require increasing seedling production about 8-fold.
- Floodplain Reforestation Program
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Floodplain Reforestation Program
A new reforestation program pays landowners in the Mississippi Delta region for the environmental benefits that come from restoring forests on their most flood-prone lands.
- West Virginia
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West Virginia
Since 2015, over 3,000 acres of red spruce habitat has been created in West Virginia, allowing the spruce trees to grow into the forest canopy and begin producing seeds.
- Kenya
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Kenya
We’re working with partners and applying science and technology to plant the right trees in the right places, including mangroves on Kenya’s North Coast and timber and fruit trees in western Tanzania’s Mahale ecosystem, home to the 93% of the country’s endangered chimpanzees.
- Mexico
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Mexico
We are working to restore these forests which lose hundreds of thousands of acres yearly due to deforestation.
How reforestation can help tackle climate change
Reforestation is a tried-and-true natural climate solution. For eons, trees have pulled carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through the oldest carbon-capture technology on Earth, photosynthesis. This means, reforestation contributes to climate action by helping to remove carbon from the atmosphere and lock it into the wood of the trees themselves.
In fact, reforestation is one of the most cost-effective carbon removal strategies available.
Strategies like agroforestry, or the practice of planting trees in between crops or pasture land, can help store additional carbon while also providing a new revenue stream for landowners.
Growing certainty around reforestation through science
We need rigorous science to know how to plant the right trees in the right places and ensure those trees survive in the long-term. TNC's science works to home in on the places with the greatest climate returns per hectare of investment in reforestation and agroforestry. We do this by developing maps—really menus of options—for where trees could be restored to the landscape.
Quote: Dr. Susan Cook-Patton
The climate cooling power of reforestation depends heavily on how much new forest area we can gain. The greater the footprint of new forest, the greater the amount of carbon dioxide we can pull from the atmosphere.
Dr. Susan Cook-Patton
Senior Forest Restoration Scientist
Latest Research
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Research Summary
The science of reforestation is evolving as more data are collected and new research is published. Read a summary of the latest research.
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Variable impacts of land-based climate mitigation on habitat area
Research shows that reforestation will benefit many species both locally, by increasing habitat, and globally, by mitigating climate change. See how scientists modelled the impact of nature-based mitigation strategies on over 14,000 species.
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Restoring forest cover at diverse sites across Canada
The research shows how restoring the right trees in the right places on historically forested lands can ensure the fullest range of long-term benefits for communities and ecosystems. See where tree-planting offers cost-effective opportunities for climate change mitigation in Canada.
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Urban Tree Cover and Health
An ambitious, nationwide program of urban tree-planting could reduce health imbalances between neighborhoods and help communities adapt to a changing climate. See how trees can reduce heat-related health risks in cities.
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Accounting for albedo
Provides a global analysis of where restoration of tree cover is most effective at cooling the global climate system—considering not just the cooling from carbon storage but also the warming from decreased albedo. See how albedo impacts tree planting.
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The Potential of Agroforestry to Fight Climate Change
Planting native trees in working agricultural lands is an under-appreciated pathway to tackling climate change at a global scale. Read how agroforestry can contribute to climate change.
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Tree Diversity
Planting forests with diverse species can help ensure their success. Learn why diversity matters in forests.
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U.S. Reforestation Hub
The Reforestation Hub identifies up to 148 million acres of total opportunity for reforestation in the U.S., an area the size of California and Washington put together, which could capture up to 535 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. Learn more about the Reforestation Hub.
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Natural Forest Regrowth
Letting forests regrow is a cost-effective climate solution, but carbon removal can vary 100-fold across the globe. See maps that show the greatest climate returns per hectare of investment.
Seedlings
TNC and partners are working to address supply chain gaps in order to reforest even more acres in Minnesota.
© Alita Films
© www.thinkdero.com
How TNC supports reforestation efforts around the world
TNC brings decades of experience, scientific expertise, and global reach to our reforestation work. With hundreds of successful projects in our portfolio, we leverage cutting-edge research and tested best management practices to ensure reforestation is effective and sustainable. We work with partners, local communities, governments, and other rightsholders around the world to create tailored solutions that benefit people and nature.
© ©Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography
Advancing critical science
We must grow the right trees in the right places in the right ways and ensure those trees survive in the long-term. Our science aims to find the places where restoring tree cover can provide the greatest climate impact per hectare of investment. For example, TNC and partners have published peer-reviewed studies examining the maximum potential acres available for reforestation in the US; how albedo impacts the efficacy of reforestation as a climate solution; the cost-effectiveness of natural forest regrowth versus tree plantations; the importance of reducing forest pest stress in maintaining optimal carbon sequestration rates, the role biodiversity plays in successful reforestation projects; and more.
© Traci Swift/TNC
Expanding the seedling supply chain
There are opportunities to plant trees all over the world. But to realize the potential, we must scale up the seedling supply chain. In the US, for example, tree nurseries need to increase seedling production by an additional 1.7 billion each year—more than double current nursery production. This will require accelerating seed collection in addition to nursery production. It also means expanding the workforce, especially planting crews. We also must invest in post-planting work and slow the spread of invasive species to give young trees a fighting chance.
TNC is leading on this work in places like Minnesota, where seed collection is an important part of our reforestation strategy. We are also advancing the work in Chiapas, Mexico, where our support helped a local nursery more than triple the number of species they produce. Today, the nursery grows 1 million trees a year, and this strategic partnership ensures a reliable source of plants for restoration projects throughout the region.
© www.thinkdero.com
Supporting market solutions
By leveraging quality carbon credits, sustainable timber markets, payments for ecosystem services, and eco-tourism, we can create financial incentives for property owners, land stewards and communities to restore forests. These market-driven approaches not only generate economic benefits but also provide valuable ecosystem services for communities.
For example, in the Southern Deltas region of the U.S. farmers can get paid to plant trees on degraded farmland through The Nature Conservancy’s Floodplain Reforestation Program. The trees generate income for landowners through carbon credits and they also help to reduce flooding.
© Juan Arredondo
Advocating for policy
Policy changes that support public benefit and incentivize reforestation can significantly boost global efforts to restore forests in a way that is good for local communities. By offering tax breaks, subsidies, and grants, governments can encourage landowners and businesses to invest in reforestation projects. These incentives not only make reforestation financially viable but also promote sustainable land management practices.
In Colombia, TNC has worked closely with communities, engaging regional government, local government, education institutions, private sector, ONGs and landowners in workshops to build capacity and support for forest restoration.
© Rory Doyle
Enabling direct funding
Around the world, lands managed by Indigenous Peoples are crucial to the mitigation action needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. However, a mere 1-2% of climate finance flows directly to Indigenous Peoples, and only 17% is allocated toward projects that involve Indigenous organizations. Direct access to finance allows Indigenous Peoples to play an active role in climate solutions in places like the Brazilian Amazon where their leadership is essential.
In 2024, TNC hosted a workshop with partners and community leaders in Latin America to generate a shared vision for improving access to direct climate financing for Indigenous People in the region.
© Felipe Fittipaldi
Sharing lessons and best practices
As enthusiasm about reforestation leads to millions of trees being planted around the world, it’s important the people doing this work share learning and best practices. For example, of the billions of trees planted around the world each year, only a fraction are monitored to ensure their long-term survival. Internally, TNC hosts the NCS Learning Network, a comprehensive bank of webinars, trainings, and peer learning spaces, including pathway-specific networks, communities of practice, and learning exchanges. These resources provide opportunities to build knowledge on NCS, share experiences, and learn from others.
In New Zealand, TNC’s global experts have supported the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance (KMTT), a unique collaborative focused on biodiversity and climate outcomes, in scoping reforestation projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No, planting trees alone cannot solve climate change. We also need to keep forests as forests, improve our management of existing forests and pursue the many promising options within our agricultural sector, grasslands and wetlands.
And though it is one of our most effective, affordable options for carbon storage, reforestation and other natural climate solutions must be paired with phasing out fossil fuels and accelerating renewable energy.
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Yes. When making decisions about where and what to plant, it’s important to consider what types of trees will do best in the long term. We must plant the right tree in the right place in the right way. So, for example, if it is a wetland, plant trees that like to be wet. If it is a fire-prone landscape, plant fire-resistant trees with wide spacing to promote healthy fire behavior.
In Minnesota, TNC is working with farmers to grow and plant "climate-smart" tress, which will be more resilient in a warming world.
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We love planting trees. But it’s important to remember that we do not always need to plant trees. When conditions are right, we can step back and simply let nature grow. A 2024 study showed that natural regrowth, or letting trees grow back naturally, can be more cost effective in some cases.
There is no single “best” solution for restoring tree cover. Natural regrowth can be highly effective when sites are not too degraded, and better support native biodiversity. However, in other places, we may need to replant some or all of the site to help or accelerate forest recovery, especially where the natural seed supply has also been lost. And in places where human livelihoods are paramount, it may make more sense to establish an agroforestry system or timber plantation. Ultimately, the best solution supports the local communities because they are the ones who will be the stewards of that future forest.
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Forests are naturally diverse, and this diversity of plant species brings an array of benefits: pest and disease resistance, resilience to climate change and increased wildlife habitat.
A 2023 study published led by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and The Nature Conservancy shared the results of a decade of research from BiodiversiTREE, a large-scale reforestation project at SERC designed to run 100 years, testing the effects of different tree planting strategies on sapling survival and other ecosystem functions.
The results showed that reforestation projects with diverse species are more likely to include species that thrive at the planting site, lowering the risk of planting failure. These results echoed previous tree diversity experiments showing that monocultures can both thrive and utterly fail, making it risky to plant only one species.
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Albedo refers to how much sunlight is reflected from the Earth’s surface
Trees soak up and store atmospheric carbon, leading to planetary cooling, but they can also absorb more solar radiation than other vegetation types, leading to planetary warming. The balance of these effects varies from place to place and is central to identifying areas where expanding tree cover can serve as a climate solution.
Factoring changes in albedo into decision-making around tree cover restoration ensures these projects can be deployed in locations with maximum climate-positive impact.
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Yes. A study published in Science found that reforestation can benefit many species both locally, by increasing habitat, and globally, by mitigating climate change. These include many iconic forest species from spotted salamanders and red-bellied woodpeckers to jaguars.
In Brazil, forest restoration in the Mantiqueira Mountains is helping support a region rich in bidoiversity.
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Forests are a tried-and-true natural climate solution. For eons, trees have pulled carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through the oldest carbon-capture technology on Earth, photosynthesis.
In this article, TNC's Sr. Forest Restoration Scientist, Dr. Susan Cook-Patton, summarizes the latest science of reforestation.
Plant a Billion Trees
Donate to help us plant and care for trees in critical forests around the world in Brazil, China, Colombia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mexico and the United States.
Looking up at trees
An overall of a forest's canopy being assessed for the Family Forest Carbon Program in Berlin, New York on October 11, 2024.
© ULLMANPHOTO.com 2024
More about Natural Climate Solutions
Science shows that—combined with cutting fossil-fuel use and accelerating renewable energy—natural climate solutions can help us avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
