The 6 Ps of Reforestation

The creation of the Symbiosis coalition, a partnership among four leading tech companies dedicated to accelerating high-quality, nature-based carbon removals, marks a significant milestone in forest restoration. This initiative, aiming to contract up to 20 million tons of nature-based carbon removal credits by 2030, represents a transformative change in our reforestation strategies. 

Growing up in French Guiana, under the vast canopy of the Amazon, my perspective was deeply influenced by my father's work in the extractive industry and the destruction I witnessed firsthand. This experience motivated me to start a reforestation company that now employs 35 people across Europe, Africa, and South America, with a special focus on the critical biomes of Brazil, including the Amazon and Mata Atlantica. 

Recently, there has been a rise in "high-quality" projects aiming to balance environmental stewardship, community well-being, and investor interests. However, these initiatives often struggle due to the lack of universally accepted definitions and standards—a gap the Symbiosis coalition seeks to fill, extending its mission beyond merely allocating capital. 

The 6 Ps of Reforestation 

While developing a shared standard through Symbiosis will take time and extensive consultations, I want to introduce a model based on my experiences since founding MORFO. This new framework evolves from the traditional marketing mix of the 6 Ps to focus specifically on restoration and ecological renewal, capturing the essence of "high-quality" projects. 

Purpose: The success of reforestation efforts depends on setting ambitious, clear goals. These projects should go beyond regulatory compliance to foster genuine ecological transformations—enhancing biodiversity, restoring vital ecosystem services, mitigating climate change, and supporting community livelihoods.

Place: Reforestation must be carefully tailored to local environments, taking into account legal frameworks, ecological contexts, and the principle of additionality. In Brazil, for example, this involves starting projects with thorough terrain history assessments and owner surveys. 

Plants: A broader focus on diverse plant life, not just trees, is essential. Traditional reforestation often overlooks the importance of understory vegetation and other plant layers. Selecting a mix of native and complementary species, suited to each specific environment, is crucial for fostering biodiversity and ecological resilience. 

People: The involvement of local communities is the cornerstone of any successful project. By collaborating with residents, projects can leverage indigenous knowledge, aligning initiatives with local needs and potentially sparking community-driven conservation efforts. 

Precision: Technological advancements have significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of reforestation projects. Innovations in drone planting and refined mapping techniques allow for precision planting in areas as small as a few square meters. Furthermore, improved monitoring technologies enable meticulous oversight of tree growth over large territories, addressing the information gaps that previously hindered large-scale projects. 

Price: Current market prices for high-quality reforestation credits range from $30 to $100 per ton today. However, average prices are currently much lower. Additionally, many funders prefer to pay in full or in part only after the trees have matured, which could take 5 or 10 years. But no one can afford to wait 5 years to be paid. Ultimately, if pricing isn't feasible and the funds aren't available, we as project implementers are forced to compromise on crucial aspects, including seed diversity, seed density, and local community engagement. 

As the UN Decade for Restoration approaches its final years, the urgency to act is clear. Despite the alarming rate of deforestation—equivalent to 10 soccer fields per minute—I remain optimistic that a turning point for our forests is within reach. At 27, I am driven by

the belief that our generation will not be the last to form a deep, lasting connection with the forests.