Couple Plants 2.7 Million Trees Over 20 Years to Restore Brazilian Forest — Now 172 Bird Species and 30+ Mammals Have Returned

Many people think that restoring our forests and natural environments is necessary, but only a few will actually do something about it. Well, that is what this couple from Brazil has done, restoring a barren land to become the forest it used to be, and it took them 20 long years to finally finish it. Let’s find out who they are and what we can learn as a community from them.

Image Credits: Chronos

Who Are Sebastião and Lélia Salgado?

Sebastião Salgado is a famous Brazilian photographer who is from Aimorés, Brazil. After travelling for work, in 1994, he returned to his homeland only to find it had become lifeless and barren. The animals and wildlife had fled the area, the trees and plants have died, and it can’t sustain an ecosystem anymore.

His wife, Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado, thought of a plan to restore this land to its glory days. One that is brimming with life, and trees, and all the good things that come with it. Together, they founded Instituto Terra in 1998, and their 20-year-long journey has finally begun to restore this forest back to life.

Read more: National Geographic

How Did They Restore the Forest?

THIS COUPLE FROM BRAZIL PLANTED 2.7 MILLION TREES! AND HERE'S WHY

Over two decades, Sebastião and Lélia Salgado had done something unbelievable. They have planted over 2.7 million trees on 1,754 acres of lifeless land. They carefully chose the plants that was planted making sure it was native to the land, as they transform the whole area into a livable ecosystem for wildlife.

To be able to plant this many trees, they also created a nursery for seeds capable of producing 1 million native Atlantic plants. The process was slow, but after several years the forests had become independent and is able to exists without their help. Then the birds, the mammals, the flowers, and more have returned to the area.

What Wildlife Returned?

Brazil is also known for its diverse species of birds, so when these forests came back to life, the number of bird species that migrated back is outstanding. Over 172 species, possibly more, have been recorded to live in the forest now. It also includes 33 mammal species, 15 amphibian species, and also 15 reptile species.

Can you imagine building something that can house an entire ecosystem of more than 200 animal and plant species? That is a feat only a few people will be willing to achieve, not because they don’t want to, but because it takes a considerable amount of effort, resources, and dedication to the cause. It took 20 years of their life, and this forest is probably going to last a lot more than that.

Why Is This Important?

So, why is this important? Why does reforestation and wildlife conservation matter to us, as a society? The short answer is because we are also part of that huge ecosystem that encompasses the whole planet. We might be different species, but we are all living under the same sky.

Protecting and restoring these animals’ habitat means a healthier planet, where life will thrive as it was meant to be. When forests return, the water flows, the airs get purer, the animals and birds sing happily, and the balance is restored.

This Brazilian Couple planted 2 million trees 🌳😲

Author's Final Thoughts

By saving nature, we are also securing our own future too. Just because the majority of us already live in the cities, we should not take for granted that everything we have comes from our environment.

We hope the story of Sebastião and Lélia Salgado’s dedication to restoring life to a lifeless land shows and inspires how much we can help heal the planet with our own vision, perseverance, and action.

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