Community Tree Nurseries: From Seedling to Sapling

Every restored slope starts the same way: a seed, a pot, and a community willing to tend it every day until it is ready for the ground.

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1. Pot & sow

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2. Water & grow

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3. Harden off

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4. Transplant

A nursery's real work happens in the quiet, repetitive stretch between sowing and planting. Seeds are sown by hand, one tray at a time, then watered and shaded through weeks of slow, uneven germination. As seedlings strengthen, shade and water are gradually reduced to harden them for the open, often steep ground they are headed for. Only then are they carried out and transplanted alongside ongoing restoration work, each sapling in the ground a small, direct result of a community's daily attention rather than a one-off planting event.

[ INFOGRAPHIC — seedling survival rate this season ]

WHY COMMUNITY NURSERIES MATTER

👩🏾‍🌾 Local jobs and income for community members

🌍 Seedlings suited to local soil and climate

🤝 Shared ownership of restoration outcomes

📈 Steady seedling supply for planting seasons