Go Forest and our field partner, Faja Lobi, work hand in hand with local communities through a bottom-up approach to realise large-scale reforestation projects. Beyond reforestation, our agroforestry initiatives (farming systems rooted in trees and their non-timber products) play a vital role in building lasting relationships with local communities, whose long-term stewardship is essential to the survival of these new forests. By creating a sustainable local economy, agroforestry allows people and nature to thrive together, fostering greater self-reliance and reducing dependence on destructive land practices. The economic value generated by non-timber forest products serves as a powerful incentive for farmers to move away from the dominant agricultural method across Congo: slash-and-burn farming, which clears forests and vegetation to create open pastureland. While effective in the short term, this practice leads to severe soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and the permanent disappearance of native vegetation. In Ingung Kapia, we have established a coffee agroforestry system designed to integrate food production with ecological restoration. Shade-grown coffee plants are cultivated at a density of 625 plants per hectare — a method that not only improves coffee quality by slowing bean maturation, but also reduces the need for chemical inputs and maintains a forest-like microclimate that supports biodiversity. This is complemented by native reforestation species planted at 600 plants per hectare. Among these, Millettia laurentii (Wenge) is a highly valued hardwood native to Central Africa, while Cassia siamea & Cassia floribunda are fast-growing trees that provide shade, firewood, and soil enrichment through nitrogen fixation. Pentaclethra macrophylla (Owes) is an oil-producing species that offers direct economic value to local farmers, among many other species contributing to the multilayered system. Together, this diverse planting approach mirrors the natural forest structure, protects the soil, sequesters carbon, and provides communities with lasting sources of income — proving that conservation and livelihoods are not in conflict, but deeply intertwined.

In Ingung Kapia, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we plant native tree species on degraded soils to restore biodiversity and create meaningful employment for local communities through manual planting work. Since we began in 2022, our reforestation program has taken on the challenge of restoring the natural environment and preventing further desertification of the region. Looking ahead, our long-term vision includes well-considered forest management, designed to relieve pressure on DR Congo's precious old-growth jungle. Our planting target is 1,000 trees per hectare at survival, achieved by initially planting 1,250 trees per hectare to account for natural loss. The species mix is intentionally diverse, combining native forest trees to support soil recovery and ecological resilience. The full list of species planted includes: Millettia laurentii (Wenge) Cassia siamea & Cassia floribunda Pentaclethra macrophylla (Owes) Piptodeniastrum africanum (Osing) Hevea brasiliensis Uapaca mole (Ontang) Canarium schweinfurtii (Mbidi) Prioria balsamifera (Mwana Mpembe) Ricinodendron heudelotii (Ongiel) Erythrophleum gabonensis (Onkok) Guibourtia demeusei (Ladzum) Paramacrolobium coelucum (Obwar Osur) Prioria oxyphylla (Tshitola) Pterocarpus soyauxii (Padouk) Ceiba pentandra (Obel) Milicia excelsa (Mulundu) Leplaea cedrata Pachira aquatica (Nguba Mindele) Staudtia kamerunensis Ongokea gore (Ndeke) Acacia auriculiformis Acacia mangium Maesopsis eminii Gilbertiodendron dewevrei (Labong) Dacryodes normandii Celtis tessmannii Pycnanthus angolensis Nauclea diderrichii Pericopsis elata (Afromosia) Millettia drastica Coffea arabica & Coffea robusta Autranella congolensis Entandrophragma gabonense (Tiama Blanc) Khaya grandifoliola Treculia africana Combretum welwitschii Afzelia bipindensis Millettia versicolor (Ablo) Olong Obol Mbem Dileka Nkokoking The full reforestation plot spans 52.5 hectares. We began planting in 2022, and by the end of 2024 the entire plot was fully funded, a milestone we are incredibly proud of. This work is made possible by a dedicated team of 150 day laborers (136 men and 14 women) from the local community, ensuring that forest restoration directly translates into livelihoods and long-term investment in the land by the people who depend on it most.

In Ingung Kapia, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we plant native tree species on degraded soils to restore biodiversity and create meaningful employment for local communities through manual planting work. Our reforestation program has taken on the challenge of restoring the natural environment and preventing further desertification of the region. Looking ahead, our long-term vision includes well-considered forest management, designed to relieve pressure on DR Congo's precious old-growth jungle. Our planting target is 1,000 trees per hectare at survival, achieved by initially planting 1,250 trees per hectare to account for natural loss. The species mix is intentionally diverse, combining native forest trees to support soil recovery and ecological resilience. The full list of species planted includes: Millettia laurentii (Wenge) Cassia siamea & Cassia floribunda Pentaclethra macrophylla (Owes) Piptodeniastrum africanum (Osing) Hevea brasiliensis Uapaca mole (Ontang) Canarium schweinfurtii (Mbidi) Prioria balsamifera (Mwana Mpembe) Ricinodendron heudelotii (Ongiel) Erythrophleum gabonensis (Onkok) Guibourtia demeusei (Ladzum) Paramacrolobium coelucum (Obwar Osur) Prioria oxyphylla (Tshitola) Pterocarpus soyauxii (Padouk) Ceiba pentandra (Obel) Milicia excelsa (Mulundu) Leplaea cedrata Pachira aquatica (Nguba Mindele) Staudtia kamerunensis Ongokea gore (Ndeke) Acacia auriculiformis Acacia mangium Maesopsis eminii Gilbertiodendron dewevrei (Labong) Dacryodes normandii Celtis tessmannii Pycnanthus angolensis Nauclea diderrichii Pericopsis elata (Afromosia) Millettia drastica Coffea arabica & Coffea robusta Autranella congolensis Entandrophragma gabonense (Tiama Blanc) Khaya grandifoliola Treculia africana Combretum welwitschii Afzelia bipindensis Millettia versicolor (Ablo) Olong Obol Mbem Dileka Nkokoking The full reforestation plot spans 38 hectares. We are working hard to secure the funding needed to complete this plot and continue our commitment to large-scale forest restoration across the region.