With unprecedented and devastating wildfires impacting Portugal, Spain and California, there will be a new push to help these natural areas recover back to their natural state. Though, in the wake of wildfires, ecological recovery efforts are much more complicated than simply replanting trees.
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There is an art and a science to both re-foresting, and re-wilding, which allows these impacted areas to flourish once again. Re-forestation is an intentional effort to restock existing and indigenous forests and woodlands that have been depleted – with an effort to have the same biodiversity as the original forests.
For example, Mossy.Earth helps impacted areas by planting trees that are sourced from local indigenous DNA pools. In addition, the organization adheres to nature’s rules when re-planting and start their planting cycle in October and November, which allows the trees to have an “easier start,” and be much stronger by summertime.
Mossy.Earth also supports many re-wilding efforts.
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According to Re-wilding Europe, re-wilding “ensures that natural processes and wild species play a much more prominent role in the land and seascapes, meaning that after initial support, nature is allowed to take more care of itself. Re-wilding helps landscapes become wilder, whilst also providing opportunities for modern society to reconnect with such wilder places for the benefit of all life.”
For its next re-wilding project, Mossy.Earth is focusing on the Douro Valley, a World Heritage Site in the northeast of Portugal. This region made famous for its Port wine, almonds and olive oil production was directly impacted by some of the devastating wildfires in the country.
Not only is Mossy.Earth seeking to reforest this charred mountainside, but also it is aiming to make the area more resilient to future wildfires by planting a variety of native fire-resistant trees. Additionally, the re-introduction of large grazing herbivores such as the Iberian cows and the wild horses will help manage the shrub overgrowth. This ensures a lower fuel availability in a non-invasive and more natural way, allowing nature to take its course.
Stay tuned for upcoming news about an expanded partnership between the .Earth domain and Mossy.Earth to further support these re-foresting and re-wilding efforts. And, in the meantime, please be sure to listen to our exclusive podcast with Duarte de Zoeten, one of the founders of Mossy.Earth, here.
