Who is Weforest?

Some of you may be aware that at Motoreco we donate a portion of our profits to Weforest and Oceana, but who exactly are they? This article will give a quick look in to who and what Weforest does!

What is the aim?

Weforest is a registered charity focusing on climate change, the main focus is to tackle climate change. One of Weforest primary goals is to help control the Earths temperature rise, in order to do this at current levels excess carbon needs to be removed from the atmosphere. One of the best ways to do this is to use Earths natural forests as trees and plants intake carbon for their respiratory systems and output oxygen, an easy win to remove carbon! However, the challenge is ensuring that these plants and trees can be allowed to grow , something which previously has not been a priority across the globe.

In 2019 the IPCC wrote a report with an estimation that 730 billion tonnes of CO2 needs to be removed from the atmosphere to keep global warming at 1.5 degrees Celcius. Estimations show that reforestation and Afforestation can potential remove approximately 210 billion tonnes of CO2. This amoutn is close to a third of the approximate total amount needed removing, this is Weforests target to help reach this amount!

How are they achieving this?

Weforest break down their methods in to 4 simple methods; collaboration, restoration, improving livelihoods and measuring our impact.

Collaboration

Weforest looks to unite the world in to a more sustainable way of living. This is done through education and by building on corporate and scientific partnerships to provide and implement scalable and lasting solutions to help restore forests and the natural landscapes. These collaborations include financial aid and technological assistance. 

Restoration

There is more to restoring the earths forests than simply planting trees. This has to be done in a way that won't disadvantage the people who live in forest regions but rather integrate and work with the local people and wildlife.  

Weforest focus' on tropical climates which is where forests are able to more efficiently cool the earth through evapotranspiration as well as cloud reflectivity. At these locations Weforest investigates the root reason for forest degradation and look at alternative ways to achieve the same results without impacting the forests. This includes working with local communities and using their knowledge and enhancing environmental stewardship capacity.

Some of these methods are forest framework planting, agroforestry and assisting the natural regeneration of the area. Planting forest framework allows reclamation of land to the earth through high density planting of trees chosen for the local area. This technique helps recover degraded areas and bring the forests back to life.

Agroforestry is the integration of farms and the forest, the planting and integration of trees  in to farmland allows for the local farmers lifestyles being able to be maintained by producing food and income for the local area while creating a healthier land use increasing the biodiversity and reducing erosion.

Assisted natural regeneration is an attempt to simply accelerate the natural recovery of the forest. This can be done by removing disturbances such as weedy species and attempting to protect the regrowing plants from grazing animals  while nurturing wild seedlings and plants.

Improving Livelihoods

Agroforestry is one way Weforest helps improve the livelihoods of local communities but this is just the start. Weforest contributes to achieving hte UN's sustainable development goals. Looking at eliminating poverty by restoring forests creating work and by integrating the natural landscape with farming. Forests play a key role in ensuring that the water and sanitation is better protected, trees protect the forest floor from surface run off when it rains and erodes and damages the forest floor. A healthy forest can greater increase cloud formation and precipitation something which in some climates is greatly needed to provide a larger amount of drinkable and usable water.

 This is just a few ways Weforest is contributing to these targets, for more information read more here.

Measuring Our Impact

Weforest has an aproach to forest landscape restoration and collaborates with the scientific community and universities to strengthen their reforestation strategy. In doing this it is possible to measure the mmomst succesful methods as well as track the progress to reducing the global CO2 levels.

These reasons are just a few of why we are happy to support Weforest with their mission, not just why we are, but this is where you do too! Every purchase on our store sees 5% of profits go direct to Weforest!