Desertification combat: Reforestation challenges and tortoise-led restoration

Efforts to combat desertification in the Sahel and Sahara regions through massive tree-planting campaigns have faced significant challenges. In Chad, annual reforestation initiatives involving authorities and local communities often struggle with low survival rates for young plants. Key obstacles include a lack of consistent maintenance, insufficient water supply, and a lack of protection against animals, which can cause trees to die shortly after being planted.

Traditional reforestation often fails because hardened soil prevents rainwater infiltration, and high temperatures lead to rapid evaporation. However, an alternative ecological experiment has shown success using 500 giant African tortoises. Rather than direct planting, the tortoises aided natural land recovery by disturbing the soil surface and dispersing seeds through their excrement. Within five years, this process helped promote the return of vegetation and improved soil conditions in previously arid areas.