Responsibility That Takes Root

You say you would be happy if even more trees were planted in the coming years. What specific benefits would that bring to this region, and what are your goals and plans for the forest and the local population?

“We’d be delighted if even more trees could be planted in the coming years.” Of course, these are our words as well, but above all, they are the words of the people of Sokporkopé and Adamé. In Sokporkopé, the project originated entirely from within the village. The people approached us and said, “We have empty areas around our village and would like to turn them back into a continuous forest. Can you help us with that?”

We said “yes,” and with Ackermann’s support, this led to the creation of the Ackermann Customer Forest.

For us, the key point is this: The local people are united in their support for the idea of restoring this forest. If they actively protect the forest from fires during the dry season and, at the same time, understand that sustainable use also means independently replanting several new trees for every tree they harvest and caring for them over the long term, then we will have achieved our goal.

For us, the key point is this: The local people are united in their support for the idea of restoring this forest. If they actively protect the forest from fires during the dry season and, at the same time, understand that sustainable use also means independently replanting several new trees for every tree they harvest and caring for them over the long term, then we will have achieved our goal.

The forest holds a very special significance for the people of Sokporkopé. It surrounds the village like a protective ring. In the past, this was commonplace in many regions of Togo, but today such structures are becoming increasingly rare. The growing demand for firewood has led to the clearing of even ancient or sacred forests in many places.

Yet an intact forest can offer enormous benefits to a village: It stores moisture, improves the microclimate, and acts as a natural windbreak, especially against the dusty Harmattan wind. An intact forest can also help mitigate fires in the surrounding area: Thanks to higher humidity, lower temperatures, and a different vegetation structure, fires spread much more slowly than on dry grasslands.

But the added value doesn't begin with the mature forest. The work at the tree nursery and on the planting sites alone creates tangible opportunities. Thanks to the project, many people have an additional source of income, which provides them with important financial security.

Much of the work is organized collectively, which strengthens the sense of community in the village. A portion of the revenue also goes into a community fund, which is used to finance joint projects. In Sokporkopé, this even goes so far that the village community cultivates its own field and generates additional income from it.

Every time we visit the site and walk through the areas in Adamé and Sokporkopé, we are impressed by how everything is developing. The trees have become well-established and are growing very vigorously.

The project in collaboration with Ackermann has now been running for more than 5 years. What has changed as a result? If you walk through the areas from 2020—the start of our partnership—today, what do you see there? Is it already a “real” forest, or is it still nature’s construction site?

After about five years, it is, of course, still too early to speak of a fully mature forest. But we can see quite clearly that a forest is taking shape here. The stands continue to develop steadily, and thanks to the tropical climate and intensive on-site care, growth is progressing at an astonishing rate.

We are very confident that in a few years we will be walking through a dense forest.

Does the local community support the project? What social improvements have been achieved through the Ackermann Corporate Forest initiative?

We deliberately work with local people to define the goals for this forest. We ensure its long-term development through our ongoing presence. Together with our project partner, ecocent Togo, we have a very reliable team on the ground that regularly maintains the areas and works closely with the communities.

We see that people are increasingly developing their own understanding of the value of the forest, and that this is giving rise to a momentum of its own that extends far beyond the original project.

Our hope is that this example will inspire other communities to follow a similar path.