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Environmental Restoration

Healing Ecosystems

Community Designed Restoration Works
Plant With Purpose’s Community Designed Restoration (CDR) is led by the people who depend on the land the most. When land is damaged, farmers struggle to grow food and earn income. But through CDR, Purpose Group farmers stop erosion, improve rainfall retention, and use better farming methods that heal the soil. It’s all connected—reforestation and regenerative farming don’t just restore the environment, they fight climate change and lift families out of poverty. Farmers in CDR programs see 37% higher crop yields, leading to stronger incomes and healthier communities. This is real, lasting change—one of the most powerful ways to restore forests and heal ecosystems.

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Support Environmental Restoration Around the World

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How Does Our Environmental Restoration Work?

Our Signature Watershed Model: Where Change Flows

A watershed is an area where all the water flows to the same place—like rivers and streams feeding into one body of water. We work in watersheds because everything is connected. When the land improves, it helps the whole area—and when neighbors work together, change spreads faster. Healing one part helps the whole. That’s the power of our Watershed Model. Learn More.

Regenerative Agriculture

Farmer Field Schools give farmers a hands-on way to learn and improve regenerative farming together. These methods heal the soil and grow more food over time. Purpose Group members use 89% more regenerative techniques than others—making a real difference in their farms and communities. These techniques include:

  • Composting
  • Planting cover crops or green manure
  • Growing woodlots
  • Practicing agroforestry
  • Using no-till or low-till farming
  • Building terraces to protect hillsides

Healthier soil means stronger harvests, better income, and a thriving environment.

Soil Conservation

These techniques help farmers protect and rebuild soil, making it richer, stronger, and more productive:

    • Stone Barriers – Lines of stones slow down water runoff, reducing soil loss and keeping fields intact.
    • Living Barriers – Rows of plants that hold soil in place, improve moisture, and add nutrients over time.
    • Contour Canals – Small ditches along the natural shape of the land that catch rainwater and reduce erosion.
    • Training in Soil Ecosystems – Farmers learn how healthy soil is full of life—like worms and microbes—that help plants grow.
    • Tree Planting – Trees hold soil with their roots, shade the ground, and return nutrients to the earth as they grow.

Reforestation

Tree and plant cover is improving or staying strong in every watershed where we work. Plant With Purpose farmers plant trees on their land, in shared spaces, and in forests—bringing new life to their whole region. Trees protect the soil, bring back water, clean the air, and support wildlife. Our participants are almost twice as likely to plant native trees compared to others. More trees mean a healthier land and a better future.

Learn more about our tree planting efforts.

Testimonial Stories

Select an image to read their story.

Annah Amani, MPH, Ph.D.

Program Officer, Plant With Purpose

Annah Amani, MPH, Ph.D.

Program Officer, Plant With Purpose
"The future of the environment concerns all of us, and all of us should do what we can to protect it. When women are included and educated to restore and protect the environment we see them thrive and excel in implementing environmental restoration activities. Recruiting and equipping women to nurture their environment the way they have always nurtured human kind is a powerful movement that will transform our communities. "

Susan Dobkins

Philanthropy and Nonprofit Professional

Susan Dobkins

Philanthropy and Nonprofit Professional
“At a time when the impacts of climate change are making headlines, Plant With Purpose is on the ground with farming communities on the front lines, complementing their existing resources to foster resilience.”

Stephanie, Haiti

Partnering Farmer

Stephanie, Haiti

Partnering Farmer
“Farmers in Haiti often lose almost all their crops. We must practice conservative techniques like reforestation, soil conservation, and organic fertilizing. Also, environmental concerns must be taught in both schools and churches. Since partnering with Plant With Purpose, the changes are very visible. There is another type of social mentality. People are involved in planting trees and protecting the soil.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Sustainable agriculture, aka. regenerative farming, improves the environment in many ways, including: improving soil health, decreasing erosion, reducing water contamination, reducing or reversing deforestation, increasing climate and economic resilience, sequestering carbon, and reducing the use of harmful chemicals.
Biodiversity is a measure of the abundance of different types of organisms in an ecosystem. A monoculture of corn, for example, is not very biodiverse, whereas an agroforestry system may contain dozens or more species. More diverse ecosystems are more resilient both ecologically and (for farmers) economically. When thinking about biodiversity in the context of farming, it is critical to think about biodiversity both above and below ground. Soil, in fact, is the most critical ecosystem that farmers are managing. An important part of Plant With Purpose's training is thinking about soil as an ecosystem rather than just a physical structure that supports crops.
Very simply, agroforestry is the integration of trees in agriculture. It is a traditional approach that has been practiced around the world for thousands of years. Agroforestry allows farmers to diversify income, improve and protect soils, increase the number of plant and animal species on their farm, remain resilient in different seasons, withstand unpredictable weather patterns, and increase carbon sequestration.
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Plant With Purpose is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN 33-0052976). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by U.S. law.

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