Reforestation means regenerating the tree cover in areas impacted by natural causes – wildfires, floods or droughts – or human activities – logging, forest clearances for agriculture or mining. Reforesting can be done by planting new trees or by helping degraded forests to naturally revive and regenerate. Trees absorb greenhouse gas emissions, prevent soil erosion, and provide habitats for many animals and plants. They absorb air pollutants, filter rainwater and their root structures help to prevent floods and landslides. 

The European Union has a forest strategy for 2030, meant to help Europe achieve its objectives of protecting ecosystems and reducing greenhouse gas emission. The strategy commits to planting at least 3 billion trees by 2030, in addition to those that the forest industry will plant. 

However, while planting trees is important, their role and benefits are often inflated to shift the attention away from the need to reduce fossil fuel extraction and prevent further deforestation and forest degradation. Restoration projects cannot compensate for the clearing of forests. New trees can absorb less greenhouse gas emissions than the amount that more established forests already store in their rich soils. Protecting natural forests and preserving existing trees, in partnership with local communities and Indigenous People, remains the most important and difficult priority.

When you take this action,
If there are 2–4 Ecology tags in this card's stack, add 1 Tree token to the board.
If there are 5 or more Ecology tags in this card's stack, add 2 Tree tokens to the board.
You may take this action once per round.

• New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 (European Commission)

• 3 billion trees by 2030 (Publications Office of the EU)

• More than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest certifier are worthless (The Guardian) 

• Ask your municipality to start tree planting and forest regeneration initiatives locally.

• Support trustworthy associations and NGOs committed to planting trees.

• Get directly involved in reforestation programs, nationally or abroad.

• Protest deforestation and forest clearances, asking ecologists to support to assess their role in local ecosystems.