Are you developing an NGO?
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There are 2 ways you can work with MORFO
Do you have large areas to restore within a tight deadline? You can trust MORFO to expedite operations while maintaining high-quality results by restoring your lands for you.
Do you wish to collaborate with us on a project? We allocate responsibilities based on the project's stages (site preparation, seed collection, planting, site monitoring, etc.).
4 STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL reforestation project
01
diagnosis
Data collection using drones, satellites, and on the field analyses, enables us to analyze the area to be reforested.
02
Planning
Les espèces appropriées, locales voire endémiques, sont sélectionnées à partir d'un catalogue interne (c'est-à-dire étudiées et testées au préalable en laboratoire). Elles sont ensuite collectées dans la région afin de répondre au mieux aux besoins de l'écosystème.
La zone à reboiser est souvent préparée avant la plantation, afin d’augmenter les taux de réussite du projet.
03
Planting
Then comes the planting. This is carried out using a drone, which can release up to 180 seed capsules per minute. It can also be carried out, in part, by hand.
04
Ecological monitoring
Particular attention is paid to the evolution of plantations by monitoring biomass, biodiversity and carbon stocks, using images taken by drones and satellites.
Some of MORFO's partnerships
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ITPA
Miguel Pereira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Planting in an area north of the Tinguá biological reserve, in the municipality of Miguel Pereira.
In partnership with IPTA, a Brazilian family organization with over 20 years' experience in tree planting.
Area deforested 30 years ago for coffee plantations, charcoal production and grazing.
Natureza bela
Santa Cruz Cabrália, Bahia, Brazil
Founded in 2001, Natureza Bela contributes to nature conservation by providing environmental education and strengthening citizenship.
The land is a former sugarcane plantation which yields are too low due to soil degradation.
4 REASONS to call in morfo
Complementarity
We have developed a drone-based reforestation technology, using seed capsules, to restore forests rapidly and on a large scale. Where accessibility and safety conditions allow, MORFO includes up to 20% manual planting in its restoration projects, helping to structure and grow local NGOs and forestry groups.
biodiversity rehabilitation
MORFO currently offers a catalog of 300 seeds, with a target of 1,000 species by 2030. For each project, we select at least 20 adapted species using data analyzed from the field, drone and satellite. Our partner laboratories ensure the best selection for successful ecological restoration.
higher survival rate
Thanks to the use of seedpods and drones, we significantly increase survival rate of seedlings compared to traditional methods (80% on average under real conditions in our laboratories). In a context of seed shortage, we need far fewer seeds. MORFO's technique therefore enables us to restore more hectares.
opperation acceleration
Thanks to in-depth analyses, we draw up the optimal reforestation plan in collaboration with local stakeholders. Our methodical approach ensures orderly and efficient implementation at every stage of the project.
MORFO and
Local players
find out more
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
MORFO has developed a solution for large-scale ecological restoration of forest ecosystems. We restore areas that were previously forested and have been deforested, becoming unproductive. We focus on tropical and subtropical regions such as the Amazon Forest, the Atlantic Forest and the African Equatorial Forest.
MORFO's solution is a multi-stage reforestation process:
1 > Analysis
Firstly, data collected via drones, satellites and on-site analysis are used to diagnose the area to be reforested.
2 > Seed selection and collection
Suitable local or even endemic species are selected from an in-house catalog (i.e. previously studied and tested in the laboratory). They are then collected by local communities to best meet the needs of the ecosystem.
3 > Plantation
Our drones disperse seedpods that contain all the biological and nutritive elements required for long-term reforestation. A single drone can cover up to 50 hectares per day, planting 180 seedpods per minute, on steep, hard-to-reach, or dangerous terrain. This method is up to 100 times faster traditional reforestation solutions, and does not need a plant nursery.
4 > Forestry monitoring
Plantation growth is given special attention through biomass, biodiversity and carbon stock monitoring, using drone and satellite imagery, as well as on-site analysis.
Over 1,000 people have already worked directly or indirectly with MORFO in Brazil, Gabon, French Guiana and France. What's more, MORFO allocates 1/3 of its budget to local stakeholders.
We are convinced that close collaboration with local stakeholders is essential for the long-term success of our projects. By working with local stakeholders, we are able to improve the quality of future reforestations by better understanding the characteristics of the area in question.
Local communities are involved in all stages of MORFO's solution:
> Consultation and planning
Local inclusion begins with public consultation, gathering feedback and expectations from local communities. This feedback is then used to adapt projects, taking into account aspects such as species to be planted, planting methods, follow-up periods, forest exploitation, and local stakeholders' needs and expectations.
> Seed collection and plantation preparation
We work closely with local stakeholders to collect seeds, prepare the land and monitor reforestation projects over the long term. We collaborate with local associations to provide valuable assistance in setting up projects, and in some cases, to help with planting in the traditional way.
> And so much more...
Soil analysis, nursery management, soil preparation, planting of seedlings, forest maintenance and supervision.
Promoting species diversity in our restoration projects is one of our priorities. We carefully select species planted to maximize biodiversity and recreate the native ecosystem, mimicking the stages of forest ecological succession.
Researching and studying plant species requires intensive R&D. We have currently cataloged over 300 tropical and subtropical species, by working with recognized specialist laboratories, to improve forest growth and health.
MORFO uses both manual planting and drone seeding, as these two methods complement each other. At least 20% of projects are carried out by local communities and NGOs through manual planting. Additionally, 1/3 of MORFO's budget is allocated to these local stakeholders.
We used drones to replant 75% of our project in northern Rio de Janeiro state, while local NGO ITPA restored the remaining 25% of the area. ITPA provided us with knowledge of the Mata Atlantica biome, access to a nursery for manual planting and local workers to carry out planting.
> Drones are more efficient
They plant up to 100 times faster than humans. A single drone can process a maximum of 50 hectares per day, planting 180 seedpods per minute.
> Drones cut costs
They are up to 5 times cheaper to use, thanks to their speed of planting, and because drone seeding avoids the need for structuring a nursery and maintaining it for several months.
> Drones are safer
They access remote regions and enable planting in areas that might be too dangerous for humans, which is very regularly the case in the reforestation projects we run.
> But our drones don't replace humans
From terrain analysis to species selection, planting and monitoring ecosystem evolution, human intervention remains crucial at every stage. Up to 20% of all our projects are carried out by hand in partnership with local communities and NGOs.
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