May, 2026 | Togo
The tree-planting project by the Naturefriends of Togo continues to make significant progress toward creating a shaded recreational space for the local population, while also contributing to climate protection and the preservation of biodiversity. Following the successful completion of the second project phase, the milestone of 5,000 trees planted was reached.
Now that the planting work is largely complete, the focus is shifting to the long-term care, monitoring, and preservation of the newly established urban forest.
PROJEKT
REPORT
Successful completion of the planned plantings
The first planting campaign laid the foundation for the project by planting 4,000 seedlings on the site. This included a carefully selected mix of:
- endangered native forest tree species
- fast-growing shade trees
- fruit trees that will provide long-term benefits to the surrounding communities
To build on the success of the first planting campaign, a second reforestation campaign was carried out in April and May 2026.
In April, 475 seedlings that had not survived were replaced. Given the extreme weather conditions, the survival rate of the originally planted trees—at around 85 percent—was very satisfactory. During the first two weeks of May, volunteers completed the planting of the remaining area, planting 1,000 new saplings there. This brought the total number of trees planted as part of the project to 5,000.
Protecting native biodiversity
The second planting campaign focused on increasing biodiversity and ecological resilience by introducing a number of native and ecologically valuable species.
These included endangered deciduous tree species such as:
- Iroko (Milicia excelsa)
- African mahogany (Khaya grandifolia)
- Senegal mahogany (Khaya senegalensis)
- Cola trees (Cola nitida and Cola grandifolia)
Other species planted included:
- Gmelina (Gmelina arborea)
- Rain tree (Samanea saman)
- Albizia (Albizia lebbeck)
- Teak (Tectona grandis)
In addition to these forest tree species, several fruit tree species were planted for the benefit of the local population, including:
- Mango (Mangifera indica)
- Orange (Citrus sinensis)
- Lemon (Citrus limon)
- Grapefruit (Citrus maxima)
- Avocado (Persea americana)
- Soursop (Annona muricata)
- Cacao (Theobroma cacao)
This diverse mix contributes significantly to the ecological enhancement of the urban park while also creating a valuable recreational space for the local population.
Community participation
A central pillar of the project is the active involvement of the local community. On 5 and 6 of June 2026, volunteers from the Naturefriends of Togo, together with members of the neighborhood committee, conducted an awareness and information campaign for residents living near the project site.
They encouraged people to actively participate in protecting the newly planted forest and emphasized how important preserving local biodiversity is for future generations.
In this way, the project has not only had positive ecological effects but has also strengthened environmental awareness and community engagement.
Help preserve the trees for the long term!
Now that the planting work is complete, caring for the young forest is the top priority.
The plateau region around Kpalimé has recently experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall. While these conditions are generally favourable for tree growth, they also promote rapid growth of unwanted plants. This requires frequent maintenance work to prevent the young trees from being overgrown by other plants. In addition, drainage ditches must be dug so that excess rainwater drains away quickly and does not damage the tree roots.Currently, maintenance work is being organized every two weeks to preserve the tree stand. Unusually heavy rainfall is also forecast for next weeks, which is why we anticipate unforeseen costs of 120 euros per month.
To make these intensive conservation efforts possible, we’re still looking for donors! Every contribution is welcome – with a donation of 120 euros, you can sponsor a tree maintenance programme. Perhaps you could also encourage your Naturefriends group to donate together to help preserve the trees?
Donations can be made here (Subject: Trees for Kpalimé): https://climatefund.nf-int.org/en/donate/
On behalf of the Naturefriends of Togo, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all donors for their support! A big thank you also goes to the approximately 40 volunteers and the young people of Kaplimé, whose dedication makes this regular maintenance work possible.
More information about the project: https://climatefund.nf-int.org/en/trees-for-kpalime/