Reforestation & social issues - Togo
PROJECT TOGO
Planting trees, building schools. In Togo, we do both at the same time. Because climate protection works best with people.
- PROJECT TOGO
Togo's Arbor Day: When 1,050 seedlings plant hope
6/30/25Reading time:
Every year on June 1, something special happens in Togo. As the first raindrops fall and the earth softens - ready for planting - people celebrate the International Day of the Tree. What began in 1977 is now a firmly rooted tradition - in the truest sense of the word.
While Arbor Day is celebrated at different times around the world, Togo has deliberately chosen the beginning of the rainy season. A clever move: nature itself gives the starting signal for the planting season. The fresh moisture allows the seedlings to grow better and the coming months of rain provide the young trees with the water they need. In this way, a symbolic act becomes a practical success story.
One day, a thousand trees, one mission
In the prefecture of Agou, which is also part of our PROJECT TOGO, people come together on this day who all have the same goal: to make their homeland greener and more liveable. Representatives of the prefecture, local environmental organizations and citizens work hand in hand. It's great to see how individual initiatives become one big movement on this day.
As a long-standing partner, ecocent-Togo takes part every year. This time with a special contribution: natureOffice and ecocent-Togo donated 1,050 trees for the campaign. A figure that speaks for itself - and yet is only the beginning.
More than symbolic planting
The head of the prefecture put it in a nutshell in his speech: "It's not just about planting trees in the ground. It's about taking responsibility. For the environment, for future generations, for a sustainable future.
His words got to the heart of the matter: every tree planted is a promise. A promise to the children who will play in its shade. To the families who will harvest its fruit. To the birds that nest in its branches. But promises alone are not enough - they need to be nurtured, just like the young trees themselves.
The message got through. Because over a thousand seedlings find their place in the villages thanks to this day, even if there is not enough time to plant them all on this day. June 1st symbolizes the start of a movement that will continue far beyond this one day. Because every tree planted needs care, especially during the rainy season. The communities have committed to taking on this responsibility. They know: Planting a tree is the first step - growing it is the decisive one.
The villages lead the way
In Aboudjokopé, the campaign continued a few days later. This was not an oversight, but clever planning. After the big event at the prefecture, time was taken here for what really counts: learning together and careful planting.
A forestry official explained to the participants why trees are so important. Not with a raised index finger, but with practical examples: How trees regulate the climate, protect the soil and provide habitats for animals. Knowledge that lasts.
72 trees that make a difference
Then it was time to get to work. 72 trees were planted in Aboudjokopé - each one carefully selected and placed. Khaya senegalensis for cooling shade, fast-growing Gmelina arborea and various fruit trees: mangos, oranges, mandarins and prickly anon.
The great thing is that these trees will enrich village life. They provide shade in the village squares, their fruit improves nutrition and can even generate a little extra income. And because they plan ahead, a tree guard has been installed around the fruit trees to protect the young trees from ravenous goats and other free-roaming farm animals.
Looking ahead
What happened in Agou and Aboudjokopé is more than a one-off action. It is part of an ongoing movement. In Fokpo, the next planting campaign is imminent, and 200 more trees are already planned in Aboudjokopé.
The people of Togo are showing how environmental protection works: not with big words, but with concrete action. Not alone, but together. Not for today, but for tomorrow.
What we learn from this
The Day of the Tree in Togo teaches us something important: change begins on a small scale. With a tree. With a community. With the will to make a difference.
natureOffice and ecocent-Togo are proud to be part of this movement with their PROJECT TOGO. The 1,050 trees donated are our contribution to a greener future. But the real heroes are the local people who plant, nurture and preserve. More than just forest grows in Togo. Hope grows here. Tree by tree. Year after year.
