In Baltimori, Peru, one of the activities is enrichment planting in secondary forest, areas where only a few tree species have taken hold as part of the forest's own survival strategy after disturbance. Enrichment planting speeds up the return of tree species that are useful for human needs, including endangered species, and brings a broader range of biodiversity back into the landscape sooner than natural regeneration alone would. The site covers 8.41 hectares in total, made up of two non-contiguous, nearby areas of 2.73 and 5.68 hectares respectively. "Enrichment strips" is a commonly used term in restoration and silviculture literature, referring to rows of high-value trees planted within fallows, degraded areas, or secondary forests. In Camino Verde's case, these strips are planted within secondary forests that are 10 to 25 years old. This land was previously farmed by the site's former owner for bananas, corn, rice, and cassava, sold at the local market. Slashed and burned for farming and then left to grow back, these forests are now a couple decades old and already have a somewhat closed canopy, made up of a few predominant pioneer species native to the region, such as balsa wood (Ochroma pyramidale) and cetico (Cecropia sp.). These native pioneer species are very effective at building up organic matter to rebuild soils. They are also short-lived, with a maximum lifespan of 30 to 50 years, so as they grow old, their understory is naturally repopulated with a greater diversity of tree species, dispersed by birds, bats, and tree-dwelling mammals. Planting enrichment strips in this environment can be thought of as speeding up natural ecological succession, so that a greater diversity of species is present sooner, and the secondary forest transitions to a high-diversity primary forest faster than it otherwise would. This would ordinarily take 100 to 200 years. Our enrichment planting directly increases the presence of endangered species in the secondary forest. Alongside this ecological diversification, enrichment planting also enriches the forest in the economic sense, bringing more valuable species into the landscape sooner. Planting within secondary or degraded forest keeps maintenance costs relatively low, requiring only one or at most two weedings per year, since weeds grow more vigorously in full sun and the existing canopy limits that. At the same time, that same canopy leads to a higher death rate among planted seedlings, since branches frequently fall on them from above. Best practice for this planting system is therefore a high planting density. The planting strips are spaced 5 or 10 meters apart, are 1 to 1.5 meters wide, and are hand-cleared of undergrowth with machetes. Trees are planted along the rows every 0.5 meters, giving a planting density of 4,000 trees per hectare where strips are spaced every 5 meters, or 2,000 trees per hectare where strips are spaced every 10 meters. In some experimental rows, this density was increased further by planting in a zigzag pattern (locally called "tresbolillo") within the cleared strip, allowing for 1.5 times as many trees per row, or 3,000 to 6,000 trees per hectare. The process begins with seed collection in the surrounding forests. Once seeds have grown into seedlings, they are stored safely and go through a hardening process to improve their survival rate once planted. When the rainy season arrives, the seedlings are planted out into the forest. Between 2021 and 2026, 24,625 trees were planted in enrichment strips in the secondary forest with the help of Go Forest clients. Species include Canela Moena, Cacao, Quillusisa, Moena Naranja, Espintana, Huayo Blanco, Huasaí, Asaí, Ungurahui, Catahua, Bombonaje, and Caoba.

On a parcel known as Ex Maxi, spanning about 2.14 hectares, 22,964 trees were planted with the help of Go Forest clients. The land was previously deforested by its former owner for agricultural use, and was acquired by our technical partner in 2022. Reforestation efforts were largely carried out in 2024, with the last trees planted in early 2026, focusing specifically on the areas that had been cleared. This parcel features a high planting density and a strong presence of leguminous tree species, prized for their ability to produce nitrogen-rich organic matter, such as flemingia. Flemingia is a prolific producer of organic matter and mulch, and also contributes by fixing nitrogen, attracting pollinators with its flowers, and possibly even improving soil health through its anti-nematode properties. Ex Maxi also hosts a significant number of trees from the Calliandra genus, especially Calliandra angustifolia, known locally as bobinsana or qori sacha. This species is not only used medicinally in the Amazon, but is also valued by pollinators and serves as a useful tutor plant for supporting vine crops in agroforestry systems. In total, 13 different species have been planted on this parcel: Moena naranja, Cacao, Huasaí, Shihuahuaco, Huayo blanco, Metohuayo, Cinamillo, Tahuarí negro, Charichuelo, Chimicua, Copaiba, Aceituna tropical, and Flemingia.

La Joya is Camino Verde's younger reforestation center, established in 2017, a decade after Camino Verde Baltimori was founded. The site hosts our technical partner's largest tree nursery, supplying seedlings to farmers, native communities, researchers, NGOs, government projects, and the local municipality for urban tree planting in Puerto Maldonado. La Joya produces over 100 tree species each year, with capacity for 100,000 seedlings at a time. It is also the main location for farmer-facing workshops on tree nursery management, agroforestry, and Melipona beekeeping, and offers paid internships to Indigenous women in native species propagation and integral nursery management. The demonstration areas at La Joya showcase native species diversity across both agroforestry and reforestation plots. Over 200 tree species have been registered on site, part of the Living Seed Bank program for the conservation and propagation of native species. This diversity is the result of years of restoration work. When our local partner took over the site, it showed the effects of decades of cattle farming: compacted soils, annual burning, and invasive exotic grass that choked out young trees. Rebuilding La Joya took sustained management. Even now, a significant share of the trees planted on site serve to rehabilitate the soil, generating organic matter quickly to support the rest of the planting. Between 2021 and 2026, 78570 trees were planted at La Joya with the help of Go Forest clients, through two approaches, agroforestry and reforestation, covering 167 species in total. Reforestation species planted include Palo brasil, Caoba, Tahuari amarillo, Huayo blanco, Tahuarí flor negro, Shihuahuaco, Bolaina, Espintana, Yacushapana, Shaena, Palisangre, Cedro, Pashaco, Puma quiro, Palo capitán, Quillabordon, Ajosquiro, Requia, Courbaril, Oreja negra, Capirona, Tornillo, Misa, and Quinilla.

In Baltimori, on a parcel called La Banda, covering approximately 7 hectares, 23,874 trees were planted with the help of Go Forest clients. Reforestation efforts began in the second half of 2021 and were completed by the end of 2024. This site boasts a wide diversity of native species. Notable highlights include rosewood, cacao, and several aromatic relatives of rosewood that hold promising potential for the fragrance industry. A particularly dominant species in this parcel is Flemingia macrophylla, locally known simply as flemingia. Though it's a relatively small tree, it plays a powerful role in the ecosystem. Flemingia is a prolific producer of organic matter and mulch, and also contributes by fixing nitrogen, attracting pollinators with its flowers, and possibly even improving soil health through its anti-nematode properties. In total, 28 different species have been planted on this parcel. Alongside rosewood, cacao, and flemingia, other species include Huasaí, Bobinsana, Espintana, Cinamillo, Moena Naranja, Huayo Blanco, Cacahuillo, Shihuahuaco, Coca, Hungurahui, Moquete de Tigre, Copoazú, Copaiba, Copal, Sachavaca papaya, Caoba, Canela Moena, Estoraque, Chimicua, Palta moena, Guanabana, Gustavia, Arazá, and Limoncillo. What enables such a large number of flemingia trees to thrive in this parcel is a unique management technique known as radical pruning. Once a year, the trees are pruned back to tall stumps, and the resulting biomass is used as a nitrogen-rich mulch to cover and enrich the soil. While this method prevents the trees from growing large enough to store significant carbon in their trunks, it allows them to make meaningful contributions to soil carbon and overall soil fertility. Their rapid growth also makes them excellent tutor trees, helping to create a humid, shaded microclimate that supports the early development of more sensitive tree seedlings. The process begins with seed collection in the nearby forests. Once seeds have grown into seedlings, they are stored safely and go through a hardening process to improve their survival rate once planted. When the rainy season arrives, the seedlings are planted out into nature.

The La Joya site hosts our technical partner's largest tree nursery, supplying seedlings to farmers, native communities, researchers, NGOs, government projects, and the local municipality for urban tree planting in Puerto Maldonado. La Joya produces over 100 tree species each year, with capacity for 100,000 seedlings at a time. It is also the main location for farmer-facing workshops on tree nursery management, agroforestry, and Melipona beekeeping, and offers paid internships to Indigenous women in native species propagation and integral nursery management. The demonstration areas at La Joya showcase native species diversity across both agroforestry and reforestation plots. Over 200 tree species have been registered on site, part of the Living Seed Bank program for the conservation and propagation of native species. This diversity is the result of years of restoration work. When our local partner took over the site, it showed the effects of decades of cattle farming: compacted soils, annual burning, and invasive exotic grass that choked out young trees. Rebuilding La Joya took sustained management. Even now, a significant share of the trees planted on site serve to rehabilitate the soil, generating organic matter quickly to support the rest of the planting. Between 2021 and 2026, 78570 trees were planted at La Joya with the help of Go Forest clients, through two approaches, agroforestry and reforestation, covering 167 species in total. Agroforestry species planted include amongst others, Cacao, Caoba, Copoazu, Bobinsana, Guanabana, Camu camu, Achiote, Vainilla, Café, Piña, Mango, Palta, Lucma & Yuca.

Between January and February 2026, our technical partner in Peru organized a large-scale plant distribution in the Amazon. A total of 9,934 tree seedlings, sponsored by Go Forest clients, were delivered to 5 communities of the Ampiyacu River Basin. The agroforestry systems established with these communities are centered around rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora), an endangered species valued for its aroma, with essential oil widely used in the perfume industry. Rosewood serves as a key productive and income-generating species within the agroforestry parcels. It is complemented by 15 additional species, including a diverse mix of fruit, medicinal, and hardwood trees that together form resilient agroforestry systems. These include endangered ironwood (Dipteryx micrantha), andiroba (Carapa guianensis), mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), copaiba (Copaifera sp.), chacruna (Psychotria viridis), capirona (Calycophyllum spruceanum), avocado, and a variety of citrus species. The systems also incorporate previously established nitrogen-fixing guaba trees (Inga edulis), along with other native species. Our technical partner, together with a small group of volunteers, spent approximately 10 days traveling from one community to the next, distributing plants to all participating families. Community members carried out the planting in the following weeks. In March 2026, our technical partner returned to each community to monitor planting progress and provide additional guidance, training, and hands-on workshops, particularly for more delicate species such as rosewood. Follow-up visits are planned going forward to continue monitoring efforts alongside participating families.

In the course of 2027, these agroforestry trees will be planted in Loreto, Peru. The project is carried out in close cooperation with Camino Verde, working hand in hand with the Amazonian communities to strengthen local stewardship and long-term forest resilience. The trees will be planted across five communities. To support community-led implementation, planting workshops will be organized in each community, focusing on agroforestry techniques and sustainable land management. Once the planting has taken place, this section will be updated with planting information, including the species planted, images, and the geolocations of all sites.