The forestry program consists of projects and activities that focus on learning about and restoring Palau’s forests. These efforts include tree planning with students and community members in Babeldaob, mainly Ngardmau as well as forest fire education in partnership with local agencies and community members. Ebiil has an on-campus greenhouse that holds a variety of plants available for the local community at no cost. 

Ngardmau Bauxite Mining Fields Reforestation

You may be familiar with Ebiil Society’s campaign “Hold your ground, keep it green” throughout the years. This campaign encouraged planting trees on bare soil to hold the land by preventing erosion. This practice also improves water conservation by ensuring quality watersheds. But results from a site visit by the United States Forest Service on February 3, 2023 proved that tree planting can benefit much more.

The intent of the visit was to examine the root health of seedlings which were planted on Ngardmau’s Bauxite Mining Site One two years ago. At the time of planting, the area was considered a “badland” with red, high-iron content soil. Ebiil Society chose a combination of Palau’s native plants to make the soil “sweeter”, namely kisakes, las, and okall. When they pulled up some of the plants to see if they were thriving, they found not just healthy roots, but incredible soil health improvement.

The plants we used turned the soil more aggregate as the roots broke up the soil for oxygen to penetrate the soil. Not only was there a significant color change, but the soil was also softer and contained microorganisms. It was amazing to discover that after only two years, the soil had become fertile, 100 years after it bad become bare from erosion.

Planting trees is a significant natural amendment to poor soil. In fact, the seedlings not only hold the soil, it improves water conservation. The roots break hard soil and allows oxygen and water to infiltrate the soil This creates water pockets underground, which filters water before it enters streams and eventually, the ocean. Even before trees begin to create a forest canopy, the plants are healing the soil. And once the soil has begun to heal, now other species of plants can survive.

For tree planting data, please visit the Program Data Monitoring Dashboard.