From the Amazon to Your Local Shop – The Big and Little Things We Can Do to Help Reforestation
13/08/2025
Globally, we’ve lost around 35% of the world's forests over the last 10,000 years, with half of that loss occurring in the last century alone. So, how do we sort it out? Here’s the secret to positive reforestation.
Reforesting might sound easy. Few seeds. Some digging. Cup of tea. Kick back and watch the magic happen. But did you know that bees are the special seasoning that ties it all together? The more of them, the more pollination, and the faster and more effectively we can bring our forests back. Stingless Bees. Bumblebees. Honey Bees. All the bees. (An estimated 25,000 species globally.)
In Europe, one in ten of the 1,965 bee species is in danger of extinction, with intensive farming, insecticide use, and climate change disturbing their buzz (2). So, how can we get them flying again? We’re supporting two projects in EDGE zones worldwide, specifically targeting bee biodiversity with a broader aim of restoring areas under threat from deforestation. There are some key takeaways that not only work in these areas but might also help us right here in the UK.
Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza & Ashaninka Tribe: Junin, Peru
For the Ashaninka tribe, who live high up where the Amazon meets the Andes in Junín, Peru, bees don’t just play a crucial role in their community – they have a sacred connection to the fabric of life. In local history, it is said that the world began as a state of utter darkness. Until the mountain – a god, the Avireri – rose from the earth. In its early stages, much like a child, the mountain was playful, and in its lore, gave each spirit a distinct form.
Mischievous souls were turned into monkeys, aggressive souls were wasps, and those who were healers were turned into stingless bees, from which the community still relies on the medicinal honey. Today, as high levels of deforestation ravage the tribe’s land, On the Edge partner Dr Rosa Vasquez Espinoza, a Peruvian chemical biologist, acclaimed author, and National Geographic Explorer, is leading a conservation project in which she hopes the bees can help restore the forests to their lush, green glory.
As an international ambassador for the Ashaninka, Rosa is working alongside the tribe to plant and support the growth of 6,000 native tree species across 6 hectares within the community. The twist? Rosa is building on indigenous knowledge of Stingless Bees to catalyse reforestation, using inherited knowledge to lead the way while helping them upgrade their equipment.
Rosa notes that the increased pollination activity is expected to enhance seed production and plant diversity, thereby creating a more robust habitat for both returning and new fauna populations. “We already knew that the area had a stingless bee population, and through some of our work in nearby areas, on similar projects, we found that this species of Stingless Bee increases flora production up to 44%(3). Bees should be something we think about at the start of every reforestation project!”
GERP & the local community: Maromizaha, Manombo and Mahadrodroka, Madagascar
When you want to save something, you start by saving the world around it. GERP (Groupe d'Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar) – a key partner for OTE – is a Malagasy association primarily dedicated to conserving lemurs. But to conserve the lemurs, you need to create healthy forests. To save a species, you need to call on another: bees.
For GERP, supporting biodiversity conservation starts by actively collaborating with the local community. The indigenous knowledge of the area, specifically beekeeping with Madagascar’s honey bees and the role of pollinators in ecosystem health, is one of the building blocks for this initiative. We sat down with Rotsi and Faly, both from project GERP, to understand why they took their approach.
“Beekeeping activity is not new for the community living near these forests, but in recent years, with support from OtE, GERP is using it as a central pillar to not only increase forest health, but to build an income stream for the local community.” Rotsi, GERP’s Research and Conservation Officer, says over the call. Her colleague Faly, Income Generating Activity Officer, adds, “The project combines local knowledge with the practical benefits of adopting new beekeeping practices, focusing on expanding native bee species rather than invasive ones.”
Global problem, local solution – the importance of pollinator pathways
We might not have our own Andes or rainforest, but conservation isn’t limited to far-flung places, rural areas, or nature reserves – city-dwellers can play their part, too. Our gardens, balconies, windowsills, flowerboxes, and those trees that line your street comprise something very, very important: pollinator pathways. Strengthening these could mean an influx of pollinators to our forests, and a big boost for reforestation.
Just like you rely on service stations to get you across the country, flowers and green spaces connect invisible networks to help bees and other insects refuel and travel between areas; without them, pollinators would be limited to certain areas. Kate Bradbury, author of One Garden Against the World: In Search of Hope in a Changing Climate, insists that these networks and highways are crucial, “Think of the flowers you plant in your garden or windowbox as little recharging stations for bees – the more they can refuel, the further they can go, and the greater the distances they can pollinate.”
The decline of bees, deforestation, and reforestation are global problems, but Kate advocates that, however small your space, you can play a part in supporting wildlife. “Plant more flowers – it’s as simple as that. Mediterranean herbs are great; you can buy them from the supermarket. Mint. Oregano. Rosemary. Chives. They don’t need much care or watering; grow them in a pot and let them flower. You have to let them flower, though!”
The more gardens, windowboxes and green spaces with flowers, the more corridors. The more corridors, the more bees and flowering plants. And the more flowering plants, the more bees… we could go on, and on.
References:
1: Our World in Data - Deforestation and Forest Loss
3: Delgado, C., Rasmussen, C., & Mejía, K. (2020). Asociación entre abejas sin aguijón (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) y camu camu (Myrciaria dubia: Myrtaceae) en la Amazonía peruana. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 32, 129
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Globally, we’ve lost around 35% of the world's forests over the last 10,000 years, with half of that loss occurring in the last century alone. So, how do we sort it out? Here’s the secret to positive reforestation.