Community forestry | Replanting the forests of Timor-Leste

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We’re working to replant the forests, one seed at a time

WithOneSeed is a social enterprise that is taking action on climate change through community forestry in Timor Leste and through climate change education initiatives in Australia. These initiatives work to make environments sustainable, to end poverty and hunger, to build knowledge and to create regional partnerships. WithOneSeed aligns its work with the UN Sustainable DevelopmentGoals.

WithOneSeed has 3 core community forestry activities

Community forestry graphic

1. Planting and maintaining trees

WithOneSeed has a partner enterprise called Ho Musan Ida, which means ‘with one seed’ in Tetum, to lead and manage the community forestry program in Baguia, Timor Leste.

Ho Musan Ida works with subsistence farming communities to generate an income from planting and maintaining trees on their land and as an extension to build local economies, boost education and training, and deliver social and economic participation. Ho Musan Ida supports

2. Certification

WithOnSeed is the first internationally certified carbon program in Timor-Leste. It is certified by the Gold Standard Foundation A&R standard. Following the Gold Standard certification requirements has introduced a rigorous and transparent process that is followed by all involved in the program. An annual tree count is undertaken and this information is used to calculate the carbon sequestration and also to determine farmer payments each year.

A key element of the WithOneSeed concept of getting subsistence farming communities to re-establish and maintain the forests where they live was to develop a certified carbon sink that would allow the farming community to derive an income through sales of carbon credits in the international carbon market.

The tree propagation and planting activities of the project have shown that farmers will care for and maintain newly planted trees if there are immediate financial rewards as well as longer-term environmental benefits. Over 700 farmers are now receiving annual payments for the trees that are looking after.

WithOneSeed has partnered with Ramp Carbon and Baker McKenzie to attain Gold Standard Afforestation/Reforestation Certification.

3. Tree farmer training

Train the trainer programs in agroforestry and permaculture focus on building the skills and knowledge of Baguia tree farmers.

WithOneSeed has partnered with the Australian Agroforestry Foundation to deliver their Master Tree Growers’ Course in Baguia. This training, that has been successfully delivered in Australia, Africa and Indonesia, provide tree farmers with knowledge and skills to manage the new forest that is being created in Baguia.

The ‘train the trainer’ model encourages participants to train others in the Master Tree Grower concepts.

Progress to date

By the end of 2017, WithOneSeed will have:
- approximately 700 participating farmers (5% of the Baguia population)
- over 110,000 trees planted and under management, increasing by 20,000 trees per year
- removed more than 78,000 tonnes of CO₂e from the atmosphere
- 13 community-based propagation nurseries under management
- 11 local staff employed by Ho Musan Ida
- established the Timor-Leste registered Baguia Farmer Cooperative
- established the Baguia Finance Cooperative
- successfully undertaken a Gold Standard performance audit
- maintained an MOU with the Government of Timor-Leste

WithOneSeed's community forestry story in pictures

The road to Baguia, Timor Leste. Baguia is a sub-district of Baucau. A rural, mountainous region, it covers approx. 22,000 hectres and has a population of approx. 14,000 people; many are living below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day. At its heart is Mount Matebian, the second highest peak in Timor Leste at 2315m.

The forests of Timor Leste experienced mass deforestation during the Indonesian occupation. It is estimated that over 80% of primary and secondary forests were destroyed between 1975 to 1999.

The ripple effect of deforestation, includes soil erosion and reduced water and soil quality, which leads to a reduction of crop yeilds, animal fodder, housing materials and nutritional foods. This significantly impacts on the health and welbeing, education and employment opportunities and on local economies of subsistence communities.

WithOneSeed had designed and constructed 3 village-based nurseries each with capability to propagate 20,000 seedlings annually. This photo is of the nursery in a village called Afolicia.

Project Director Andrew Mahar AM with Bellmero, one of 251 Community Tree Cooperative members in Baguia, Timor Leste.

To date 40,093 trees have been planted and are under the management of the Community Tree Cooperatives. The mahogany trees reduce soil erosion, improve water and soil quality and reduce the noxious weeds that dominate the landscape as a result of many years of deforestation.

Replenishing the planet, one seed at a time. Collecting, sorting and storing seeds for germination, increases knowledge, skills and employment opportunites in the comunity.

Under the management of Leopoldina Guterres and Andrew Mahar, Ho Musan Ida staff meet regularly to discuss the work and future planning of the initiative in Baguia Timor Leste.

The sub-district of Baguia covers an area of approx. 22,000 hectres with little transport. The basic gravel roads, are susceptable to floods and landslips. The little red Drover is an all-terrain vehicle that helps staff to transport equipment and materials between the nurseries which are spread across the sub-district, saving them an otherwise 3+ hour walk (one way!).

The seeds are germinated and propagated at the village-based nurseries over a 12 week period, under the management of Ho Musan Ida staff.

The saplings are then distributed to Community Tree Cooperative members to plant on their land.

Every year the trees are audited and their GPS waypoint locations are recorded. Annual payments are then made to farmers for planting and maintaining the trees. For many subsistence farmers, this can more than double their annual income, which is as low as 80c a day. Building the local economy through social enterprise supports the wider community.