January/February 2023: Transforming Madagascar

Member Summit – Fall 2022

F

all is such a beautiful time of year at Arbor Day Farm and Lied Lodge, and this year was no exception. It has been a full year, and we capped the Foundation’s 50th anniversary and the 150th observation of Arbor Day with a celebration at Lied Lodge and Arbor Day Farm. During the Member Summit, we had an amazing time connecting with and creating new friends. It was an event-filled three days, with more than 70 participants from 28 states — each with a unique perspective and a passion for trees as a solution to the many issues we face today.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023

Together we learned more about the unique ways we support our shared mission; we met with the Associate Deputy Chief of State and Private Forestry and discussed the challenges the U.S. is facing to address wildfires. We spent time talking about our reforestation efforts on national, state, and private land.

We learned what we are doing together to continue our international replanting work and broaden our tree planting impact on a global scale. We heard from partners like Ed Louis of the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership, who shared the impact of your support firsthand. We talked about growth, our programs, vision, and the tools we will use to get there.

Most of all … we had so much fun! We explored the property, laughed and played, and ate amazing food.

Connecting with each other is such a gift, and getting to do it where our mission comes to life was an experience we are all forever grateful for. Thank you for the great memories — already looking forward to next time.

Sandi Hansen, Director of Development

50136101

Arbor Day Foundation

•

211 N. 12th St.

•

Lincoln, Nebraska 68508

M

Supporting the Endangered Migratory Monarch … With Trees

onarchs are beloved pollinators, admired not only survival of the migratory monarch species. However, nearly for their iconic beauty but also their place in our 25% of this already-limited habitat has been ravaged by childhood memories … following them as they floated illegal logging and wildfires. along, feeling the tickle of their legs as they landed on your arm, watching in awe as they Forest restoration is critical emerged from a cocoon.

Each tree Restoring the oyamel forest is a priority, Unfortunately, in July of 2022, the as it means not only the survival of the planted will migratory monarch butterfly reached a migratory monarch but the continuation of grow to shelter milestone the world hoped it would never all the biodiversity the butterfly supports as many as see — it was officially listed as endangered by as a pollinator.

20,000 the International Union for Conservation of Efforts are underway with on-the-ground butterflies from Nature (IUCN). While research and data in partners to replant oyamel forest cover. Each recent decades have indicated that this was seasonal rain tree planted will grow to shelter as many as coming, the announcement was a blow. and cold.

20,000 butterflies from seasonal rain and cold.

According to the IUNC, the western migratory monarch population declined by approximately 99.9% between the 1980s and 2021. The larger eastern population declined by approximately 84% from 1996 to 2014.

The local community has also gotten involved, starting 24-hour surveillance to help stop illegal logging. And local farmers are learning innovative tree planting techniques to more effectively add to the tree canopy.

Many factors have led to this moment, including heavy logging and deforestation that have reduced habitat in the butterfly’s winter grounds. The oyamel forest in Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is critical for the

With the help of strong partnerships and committed supporters, the protection and restoration of the monarch’s winter habitat is possible. And that is one step closer to a world where these butterflies can once again thrive.

Transforming

burn the forest, there will be nothing left for the future.

I have taught my family this,” said Suzanne, one of the Malagasy participants.

Madagascar

“Before working for MBP, I could not afford food for my family and now I can. I have been able to save money to repair my house, send my two kids to school, and support my mother as well as my family … I even started a small farm with four chickens and five ducks. This project saved my family, and I’d like to continue working here for a long time,” said Anjarasoa, another participant in the program.

Arbor Day Foundation supporters advance bold tree planting goal he island of Madagascar is an ecological wonder. Roughly 85% of its wildlife, including some 80 species of lemurs, are found nowhere else on the planet.

The challenges of learning a new language and navigating a new country didn’t deter Ed. After touring around the island for a month, he continued coming back year after year, conducting field research on lemurs for six months at a time.

Despite numerous hurdles over the past several years, including destructive cyclones and global restrictions from the pandemic, this important work is accelerating faster than ever. It took five years for Ed’s team to plant the first million trees, and a little less than two years to plant the second million. 2022 is set to be their fastest year on record, with 1 million trees planted during the calendar year. That’s around 80,000 trees per month.

But like many of our world’s incredible landscapes, the forests of Madagascar are disappearing. It’s estimated that 50% of the island’s original tree cover has been lost over the past 70 years.

As forests in the area continued to decline, he knew that more needed to be done.

“There’s so much to be done, and we’re really pushing.

I feel like every moment is important,” he said.

T

Ed Louis, director of conservation genetics at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, has dedicated his career to studying Madagascar’s lemur population.

And in 2010, he began a monumental effort to plant trees across the island to restore their habitat.

To date, the initiative has planted 5 million trees, 4 million of which were funded by Arbor Day Foundation supporters.

“We would not be here without the Arbor Day Foundation,” Ed said. “The work that we’ve been doing could not be possible.”

Starting Small

Black and white ruffed lemurs (pictured above) are one of the main lemur species benefiting from the Arbor Day Foundation’s reforestation efforts in Madagascar. They are one of the largest lemurs on the island, reaching 20 to 22 inches in body length with 24- to 26-inch-long tails.

2

Ed made his first trip to Madagascar in 1998, his second year of working at the zoo. He wasn’t originally scheduled to go, but as fate had it, switched spots with another employee at the last minute.

“My French skills and my Malagasy skills were zero. And when I arrived, I didn’t even have a tourist guide book,” he said.

A r b o r D ay F o u n d at i o n O a k S o c i e t y I n s i g h t s • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 3

“I always felt it was going to be bad studying something and having it go extinct because you didn’t do anything about it,” Ed said.

Together with the zoo, Ed formed the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership — aimed at conserving these fascinating animals through widescale tree planting.

An Innovative Approach

The primary cause of deforestation in Madagascar is slash-and-burn agriculture. In a country where nearly 80% of people live in poverty, there is often little other option for making a living than clearing the forest away for crops.

With that issue in mind, Ed recruited members of the local community — mostly women — to grow the native trees in nurseries and plant them out in the field. In exchange for their work, they receive fair pay and a stable stream of income.

Community members plant trees on a hillside in Madagascar.

The partnership has created more than 100 fulltime jobs for Malagasy residents. Nearly 5,000 community members also participate in the partnership’s Conservation Credit Rewards program. Through the program, participants receive one credit for each tree they plant, which can then be used to purchase life-changing items like solar kits, rocket stoves, bicycles, and sewing machines.

They receive these items in addition to their income.

“MBP is doing good things for my life, family, and community. Don’t cut trees, don’t chop the forest. If you

Ed hopes to reach the 6 million and 7 million tree planting milestones in the near future. A key part of that will be building more nurseries, in addition to maintaining the 20 that already exist throughout the island. And outside donor support will continue to be a major driving force.

The story of the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership continues to be one of our members’ favorites — and it’s easy to see why. We’re excited to see its impact continue to grow in the coming years.

A r b o r D ay F o u n d at i o n O a k S o c i e t y I n s i g h t s • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 3

3

Transforming

burn the forest, there will be nothing left for the future.

I have taught my family this,” said Suzanne, one of the Malagasy participants.

Madagascar

“Before working for MBP, I could not afford food for my family and now I can. I have been able to save money to repair my house, send my two kids to school, and support my mother as well as my family … I even started a small farm with four chickens and five ducks. This project saved my family, and I’d like to continue working here for a long time,” said Anjarasoa, another participant in the program.

Arbor Day Foundation supporters advance bold tree planting goal he island of Madagascar is an ecological wonder. Roughly 85% of its wildlife, including some 80 species of lemurs, are found nowhere else on the planet.

The challenges of learning a new language and navigating a new country didn’t deter Ed. After touring around the island for a month, he continued coming back year after year, conducting field research on lemurs for six months at a time.

Despite numerous hurdles over the past several years, including destructive cyclones and global restrictions from the pandemic, this important work is accelerating faster than ever. It took five years for Ed’s team to plant the first million trees, and a little less than two years to plant the second million. 2022 is set to be their fastest year on record, with 1 million trees planted during the calendar year. That’s around 80,000 trees per month.

But like many of our world’s incredible landscapes, the forests of Madagascar are disappearing. It’s estimated that 50% of the island’s original tree cover has been lost over the past 70 years.

As forests in the area continued to decline, he knew that more needed to be done.

“There’s so much to be done, and we’re really pushing.

I feel like every moment is important,” he said.

T

Ed Louis, director of conservation genetics at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, has dedicated his career to studying Madagascar’s lemur population.

And in 2010, he began a monumental effort to plant trees across the island to restore their habitat.

To date, the initiative has planted 5 million trees, 4 million of which were funded by Arbor Day Foundation supporters.

“We would not be here without the Arbor Day Foundation,” Ed said. “The work that we’ve been doing could not be possible.”

Starting Small

Black and white ruffed lemurs (pictured above) are one of the main lemur species benefiting from the Arbor Day Foundation’s reforestation efforts in Madagascar. They are one of the largest lemurs on the island, reaching 20 to 22 inches in body length with 24- to 26-inch-long tails.

2

Ed made his first trip to Madagascar in 1998, his second year of working at the zoo. He wasn’t originally scheduled to go, but as fate had it, switched spots with another employee at the last minute.

“My French skills and my Malagasy skills were zero. And when I arrived, I didn’t even have a tourist guide book,” he said.

A r b o r D ay F o u n d at i o n O a k S o c i e t y I n s i g h t s • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 3

“I always felt it was going to be bad studying something and having it go extinct because you didn’t do anything about it,” Ed said.

Together with the zoo, Ed formed the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership — aimed at conserving these fascinating animals through widescale tree planting.

An Innovative Approach

The primary cause of deforestation in Madagascar is slash-and-burn agriculture. In a country where nearly 80% of people live in poverty, there is often little other option for making a living than clearing the forest away for crops.

With that issue in mind, Ed recruited members of the local community — mostly women — to grow the native trees in nurseries and plant them out in the field. In exchange for their work, they receive fair pay and a stable stream of income.

Community members plant trees on a hillside in Madagascar.

The partnership has created more than 100 fulltime jobs for Malagasy residents. Nearly 5,000 community members also participate in the partnership’s Conservation Credit Rewards program. Through the program, participants receive one credit for each tree they plant, which can then be used to purchase life-changing items like solar kits, rocket stoves, bicycles, and sewing machines.

They receive these items in addition to their income.

“MBP is doing good things for my life, family, and community. Don’t cut trees, don’t chop the forest. If you

Ed hopes to reach the 6 million and 7 million tree planting milestones in the near future. A key part of that will be building more nurseries, in addition to maintaining the 20 that already exist throughout the island. And outside donor support will continue to be a major driving force.

The story of the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership continues to be one of our members’ favorites — and it’s easy to see why. We’re excited to see its impact continue to grow in the coming years.

A r b o r D ay F o u n d at i o n O a k S o c i e t y I n s i g h t s • J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 3

3

Member Summit – Fall 2022

F

all is such a beautiful time of year at Arbor Day Farm and Lied Lodge, and this year was no exception. It has been a full year, and we capped the Foundation’s 50th anniversary and the 150th observation of Arbor Day with a celebration at Lied Lodge and Arbor Day Farm. During the Member Summit, we had an amazing time connecting with and creating new friends. It was an event-filled three days, with more than 70 participants from 28 states — each with a unique perspective and a passion for trees as a solution to the many issues we face today.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023

Together we learned more about the unique ways we support our shared mission; we met with the Associate Deputy Chief of State and Private Forestry and discussed the challenges the U.S. is facing to address wildfires. We spent time talking about our reforestation efforts on national, state, and private land.

We learned what we are doing together to continue our international replanting work and broaden our tree planting impact on a global scale. We heard from partners like Ed Louis of the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership, who shared the impact of your support firsthand. We talked about growth, our programs, vision, and the tools we will use to get there.

Most of all … we had so much fun! We explored the property, laughed and played, and ate amazing food.

Connecting with each other is such a gift, and getting to do it where our mission comes to life was an experience we are all forever grateful for. Thank you for the great memories — already looking forward to next time.

Sandi Hansen, Director of Development

50136101

Arbor Day Foundation

•

211 N. 12th St.

•

Lincoln, Nebraska 68508

M

Supporting the Endangered Migratory Monarch … With Trees

onarchs are beloved pollinators, admired not only survival of the migratory monarch species. However, nearly for their iconic beauty but also their place in our 25% of this already-limited habitat has been ravaged by childhood memories … following them as they floated illegal logging and wildfires. along, feeling the tickle of their legs as they landed on your arm, watching in awe as they Forest restoration is critical emerged from a cocoon.

Each tree Restoring the oyamel forest is a priority, Unfortunately, in July of 2022, the as it means not only the survival of the planted will migratory monarch butterfly reached a migratory monarch but the continuation of grow to shelter milestone the world hoped it would never all the biodiversity the butterfly supports as many as see — it was officially listed as endangered by as a pollinator.

20,000 the International Union for Conservation of Efforts are underway with on-the-ground butterflies from Nature (IUCN). While research and data in partners to replant oyamel forest cover. Each recent decades have indicated that this was seasonal rain tree planted will grow to shelter as many as coming, the announcement was a blow. and cold.

20,000 butterflies from seasonal rain and cold.

According to the IUNC, the western migratory monarch population declined by approximately 99.9% between the 1980s and 2021. The larger eastern population declined by approximately 84% from 1996 to 2014.

The local community has also gotten involved, starting 24-hour surveillance to help stop illegal logging. And local farmers are learning innovative tree planting techniques to more effectively add to the tree canopy.

Many factors have led to this moment, including heavy logging and deforestation that have reduced habitat in the butterfly’s winter grounds. The oyamel forest in Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is critical for the

With the help of strong partnerships and committed supporters, the protection and restoration of the monarch’s winter habitat is possible. And that is one step closer to a world where these butterflies can once again thrive.