A friend in Seed is a friend indeed

Hi there,

Our first newsletter was a pleasant surprise, with over 500 people reading, sharing, and liking it. Thank you for your support! Here are the latest updates about MORFO, including a very promising project in the north of Rio de Janeiro and a webinar with prestigious speakers that will provide a better understanding of the nature-based solutions context.

Let's grow!

Pascal, Co-founder of MORFO

?? - THE FORESTS

Discover our new reforestation project in the North of Rio!

To achieve the goal of 35% forest carbon absorption capacity by 2030 (IPCC), 80 million hectares of new forests would need to be planted each year. However, only 8 million hectares are reforested annually (UN). To accelerate planting, our drone technique must be supported by the knowledge and work of local populations. That's why we partnered with our new seeds friends, the Brazilian ITPA organization.

In this 50-hectare project, 75% of the area is replanted by drones and 25% with the help of local populations. ITPA provides MORFO with knowledge of the Mata Atlantica biome, access to a nursery for manual planting, and local workers to carry out the planting. By planting seeds and restoring the ecosystem, this project helps regenerate the area that supplies 80% of Rio's water and 30% of its energy.

Numerous operations underway in French Guiana...

Currently, 5 plantation projects are underway in French Guiana. On site, our operators are highly solicited and working hard. The team is planting in the Guiana Amazonian Park, the largest national park of France.

???? - THE TEAM

Join our webinar and discover the future of Nature-Based solutions!

On April 6th, we are bringing together three prestigious speakers to discuss the most promising nature-based solutions for addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. Join us!

Our speakers include:

• Liliana Andrea Martinez Sarmiento, Head of Project Implementation & Global Biodiversity, South Pole
• Francisco Maciel, Senior Advisor, Forest & Climate Change VC Fund, KPTL
• Felipe Faria, Brazil Director at SYSTEMIQ & Latin America Manager at Partnerships for Forests

Back from the One Forest Summit.

Our CEO, Adrien Pages , and our Head of Africa, Cedric MBA ALLOGO , attended the One Forest Summit. This event provided an excellent opportunity to call for urgent and accelerated reforestation processes, meet with various stakeholders, and engage with journalists from Africa 24 and Gabon 24 . Adrien shared his perception of the event on LinkedIn.

MORFO’s origins in Les Echos.

Les Echos Planète recently interviewed our co-founders and brothers, Hugo Asselin and Pascal Asselin. This article is perhaps the most comprehensive and personal piece about MORFO yet.?

?????? - SOME GOOD SEEDS

• Great report on Indigenous Communities' role in fighting forest fires: 50 Indigenous women from the United States, Canada, and Australia gathered in Karuk, California to participate in the first all-female, all-Indigenous camp focused on training and learning about the restoration of fire to the land. Karuk is one of California's largest tribes and suffered significant losses during the Slater Fire in 2020, including 150 homes and two lives, one of which was an elder.
• Costa Rica’s Reforestation Victory: With nearly 52% of its landmass covered in forests, the country has become a model for reforestation efforts globally . Among other initiatives, Costa Rica has implemented a reforestation program that utilizes drones and AI to identify areas suitable for planting and monitor the growth of trees.
• Voluntary carbon credit buyers recalibrate market strategies: The controversy surrounding carbon credits from deforestation avoidance projects has caused buyers to reassess their long-term procurement strategies , with some holding back investments. The recent dip in voluntary carbon credit prices has led buyers to question the assumptions behind avoidance credits, and they now prefer removal credits.
• Carbon Market 2022 stats: The voluntary carbon market (VCM) showed resilience in 2022 despite challenges from macroeconomic conditions and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with carbon traded value rose by 44%, although the volume traded was 6% less than in 2021. Nature-based credits became the most popular type of credit traded , surpassing energy industry credits, and project-specific credits. The price for AFOLU projects rose by 53% in one year.

The quality of carbon credits varies, necessitating greater transparency. How can any company buy those vehicles without fully accounting for where the money goes?

Ken Silverstein , Senior Contributor, Forbes

Thank you for reading this newsletter until the end. If you enjoyed it, please share it with your audience, friends, or colleagues ??.

We'll see you again in April!

MORFO