Thread by @hrfilmfestival

The Forestmaker - a compelling documentary telling the story of Tony who grew entire woods without ever actually planting a tree. Do you want to learn more?

Read the thread now and join us tomorrow at 9:30pm at @ateliergardens.berlin for an #openair screening of the movie and a discussion afterwards with Tony who will be joining us live from Australia. Get your tickets now!
humanrightsfilmfestivalberlin.de/de/news/sommer…

1. In 1980, when Tony, an Australian agronomist, moved to Niger with his family, the landscape was on the verge of collapse.

2. Massive logging led to ever-increasing deforestation. Droughts, crop failures, famines and displacement characterized the daily lives of the people. In addition, biodiversity dwindled enormously.

3. Tony and his team started reforestation projects and planted many trees. Although they tried various protection methods, 80% of the planted trees died because they could not sprout roots.

4. One day, Tony realized that under the vast landscape, which at first glance looks treeless, lies an underground forest: the roots of the cut trees live on for decades.

5. By treating and cropping the roots, a little, but strong tree can grow again after three years. This method, called Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), is an old method and was rediscovered by Tony.

6. Together with his team he educated farmers all over the world on the method. For this, he won the alternative Nobel Prize.

7. Where FMNR has been successfully applied, crop harvests have more than doubled. The trees protect the soil against wind, rain and weather and also absorb CO2, helping to combat climate change.

8. Tony introduced FMNR in over 25 countries all over the world and in Niger alone, over 6 million hectares have been regenerated.