We are losing our forests at an alarming rate every year. And forever gone, along with it, are countless species of plants and animals. We are also facing instant retribution for it. The greenhouse gases are wreaking havoc, as we slide down rapidly towards the point of no return. But ironically, only the same species that have caused the carnage, have it in them to apply the balm. This is exactly what a couple from Brazil have achieved. They have harnessed the power of humanity by putting together a team of dedicated and passionate people to turn around a destroyed forest.
Running From One Genocide To Another
Photographer Sebastião Salgado and his wife Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado are the miracle couple. Salgado returned to his native land to recuperate after documenting the horrors of the Rwandan genocide only to witness something not so different. The forests in his home were lost. He was devastated. But Lélia believed that they could return the land back to its former glory. So began a journey to restore the land as well as a parallel and personal journey of healing from the atrocities they had witnessed back in Africa.
The Answer Was Blowing In The Wind
They realized that the only being which could restore the oxygen and absorb CO2 was the tree. And it is only the native tree which can bring back the insects and the animals which are vital to the forest and the local environment.
Two Decades Of Love, Healing And Restoration – The Lost Music Returns
So, after 20 years of tireless effort, they have replaced the deathly silence of the barren land with the music of the natural forest. It is now alive with the calls of the birds and animals and the buzz of the insects. It was a spiritual process of self-healing as much as it was about restoring his childhood paradise.
Instituto Terra
They realized early that an effort on so massive a scale could not be achieved by a handful of enthusiasts. It needed a more professional and learned approach. The couple recruited partners, canvassed for funds and the Instituto Terra was founded by them. With the institute’s help, they have planted 2 million trees. And it is about something more than numbers. They have brought to life a forest with its insects and wildlife. They have made the forest sustainable.
The Visible Results
An immediate result is the halting of erosion and the restoration of depleting groundwater resources. Natural springs have come alive on the farm. 172 native birds and 33 different species of animals have returned and it has hastened the process of healing of the forest land.
The institute is an inspiration for other movements around the world. It has made people believe that environmental destruction can be turned around. It has shown the proper way that it should be done as much of the solution is local. And it has shared a host of technologies and thrown light on existing models of reforestation.
Their heroic mission which was considered madness when they started out has transformed into an international movement.
They are truly restoring our faith in this world.