Since 1990, the Earth has witnessed the permanent disappearance of 129 million hectares of forest, an expanse nearly comparable to the size of South Africa, due to deforestation, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Shockingly, an area approximately equivalent to the country of Panama is vaporating each year.
Constituting around 15 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation is a major contributor, leading to the daily loss of habitats for numerous plant and animal species. These alarming statistics pose a severe threat to our planet’s well-being, and the ongoing destruction of natural habitats at this pace is utterly unsustainable.
Image credits: Ricaro Beliel
Faced with overwhelming environmental devastation, individuals often are overwhelmed with insignificance and helplessness, questioning the impact of their actions. The daunting scale of deforestation can leave one wondering if any personal efforts will truly matter.
However, Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado and his wife, Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado, chose to demonstrate the transformative power of a small, dedicated group. They embarked on a mission to reverse deforestation, offering a tangible example of the positive change that passionate individuals can bring about.
Image credits: Sebastiao Salgado
Nature possesses remarkable resilience, always exhibiting the ability to regenerate even under unfavorable conditions. Sebastião Salgado is a renowned figure in the realm of photojournalism, who has garnered numerous accolades and authored over half a dozen published works. Following his exhaustive documentation of the brutal Rwandan genocide in the 1990s, he sought refuge in his native region of Brazil, once adorned with a thriving tropical rainforest.
His return, however, revealed a desolate landscape, stripped of its verdant canopy and biodiversity. Despite this grim reality, his wife, Lélia, remained unwavering in her conviction that the land could undergo restoration to its former splendor.
Image credits: institutoterra
“The land was as sick as I was – everything was destroyed. Only about 0.5% of the land was covered in trees. Then my wife had a fabulous idea to replant this forest. And when we began to do that, then all the insects and birds and fish returned and, thanks to this increase of the trees I, too, was reborn – this was the most important moment,” Salgado spoke to The Guardian.
Image credits: institutoterra
In collaboration, Sebastião and Lélia established the Instituto Terra, a modest organization instrumental in the revival of the forest, having successfully planted 4 million saplings.
Salgado emphasized the significance of trees as a solution, stating, “Perhaps we have a solution. There is a single being which can transform CO2 into oxygen, which is the tree. We need to start tree planting on a massive scale. You need forest with native trees, and you need to gather the seeds in the same region you plant them, or the serpents and the termites won’t come. And if you plant forests that don’t belong, the animal population won’t grow, and the forest will be silent.”
Image credits: institutoterra
With meticulous attention to native species, the landscape has flourished remarkably over the past two decades. In areas once marked by a deathly silence, a vibrant symphony of birdcalls and the buzzing of insects now fills the air as wildlife makes a triumphant return.
Image credits: institutoterra
Specifically, 172 bird species 33 species of mammals, 293 species of plants, 15 species of reptiles, and 15 species of amphibians have returned during these 20 years, thus rebuilding from scratch an entire ecosystem
Image credits: institutoterra
Image credits: Sebastião Salgado
Sebastião’s initiative has garnered admiration from millions by providing a tangible illustration of positive ecological efforts and demonstrating how swiftly the environment can rebound with the right approach.
Image credits: Weverson Rocio
Image credits: Sebastião Salgado
“We need to listen to the words of the people on the land. Nature is the earth and it is other beings and if we don’t have some kind of spiritual return to our planet, I fear that we will be compromised,” the photographer explained.
Image credits: Yasuyoshi Chiba
