How a couple replanted an entire forest in Brazil

Just 30 years ago, this budding forest was a barren land.
By Teodosia Dobriyanova  on 
An image of the Atlantic Forest from above with the words "Reviving a forest" overlaid
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From quick hits to deep dives, this Mashable series cuts through the noise to explain what on Earth is going on and what you should know about it.


When Lélia Deluiz Wanick Salgado and her husband Sebastião Salgado purchased a cattle farm in Amazonia’s Atlantic Forest, the land was destroyed by deforestation. With over 2 million trees planted in under 30 years, the pair's incredibly successful conservation efforts are a beacon of hope in Brazil, where devastating deforestation rates are pushing the Amazon rainforest to a catastrophic tipping point.

The Instituto Terra (aka the Earth Institute) now works to transfer knowledge, skills, and seeds that can help revive other forests teetering on the brink of destruction.

Picture of Teodosia
Teodosia Dobriyanova
Video Producer

Teodosia is a video producer at Mashable UK, focussing on stories about climate resilience, urban development, and social good.


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