30,000 Trees Planted in Gasabo

Published: 25 October 2025
Author: Thierry Rukundo, Program Manager, REAO

Lead summary
On 25 October 2025, REAO partnered with schools, clinic staff, local leaders and community volunteers in Gasabo District (Bumbogo and Jabana sectors) to plant 30,000 seedlings — 20,000 Eucalyptus maidenii and 10,000 Castilla elastica. The event took place during Rwanda’s monthly Umuganda (8:00–11:00) and coincided with the nationwide opening of the tree-planting season led by the Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA). This activity advanced REAO’s three core pillars: Community engagement & livelihoods, Environmental education & awareness, and Land restoration & biodiversity conservation.

Our three pillars in action

1) Community engagement & livelihoods

The planting brought together students (including the Environmental Club at GS Bumbogo), school officials (GS Bumbogo, TSS Gishaka, GS Jabana), Gikomero Health Clinic staff, local leaders, and volunteers.

local communities and students from Jabana secondary schools in tree planting

Gikomero Health Clinic staff naming and pledging to protect their trees.

Each participating school, clinic and volunteer group committed to serve as named guardians for seedlings (watering, weeding, guarding). Naming increases ownership and care.

As the trees grow, they will enable livelihood opportunities such as beekeeping (apiaries near planted zones), nursery enterprises (seedling propagation and sales), and local green jobs (nursery management, tree-care services). These income streams are planned to be scoped and piloted in the coming months.

2) Environmental education & awareness — now including Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices

REAO worked directly with the school environmental club at GS Bumbogo to turn the planting into an interactive learning experience. Students received hands-on training about tree benefits: cooler classrooms, cleaner air at clinics, restored springs and safer slopes.

Students and officials writing names on tree tags during the naming ceremony.

Students from GS Bumbogo and REAO Staff planting seedlings as part of environmental club activities.

In addition to tree stewardship, we showcased climate-smart agriculture practices at nearby demonstration plots: modern lettuce & vegetable production using techniques that improve food security and resilience. Key practices introduced included:

Demonstration plot: Agriculture Smart Practices, modern lettuce & vegetable production

Demonstration plot: modern lettuce & vegetable production

Raised beds and controlled substrate for intensive lettuce production (reduces water usage and improves yields)
Hoop houses / low-cost greenhouse covers to extend growing seasons and protect seedlings.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): biological controls and low-toxicity options to reduce pesticide use.
Fertigation and balanced micro-nutrient management to improve plant health and reduce runoff.

These CSA practices were demonstrated with modern lettuce and vegetable plots (photo evidence attached) to show students and farmers how restoration and productive farming can coexist — improving nutrition and incomes while conserving resources.

3) Land restoration & biodiversity conservation

Species choice was deliberate: Eucalyptus maidenii stabilises slopes rapidly, supplies sustainable wood and shade; Castilla elastica establishes canopy cover, supports agroforestry systems and attracts pollinators.

Together the species reduce erosion, protect springs and create habitat for insects and birds — essential steps toward broader biodiversity recovery across degraded landscapes.

Agenda & why Umuganda mattered

Event date/time: 25 October 2025, 08:00–11:00 (Umuganda)
Location: Gasabo District — Bumbogo sector (GS Bumbogo, TSS Gishaka) & Jabana sector (GS Jabana and neighboring community sites)
The tree planting was coordinated to coincide with Rwanda’s national tree-planting season (RFA), increasing visibility, aligning with government priorities, and leveraging the national mobilization for higher community ownership.

Everyday benefits — the ripple effect

Cleaner air: trees cool and filter air around schoolyards and clinic waiting areas, improving health outcomes for children and patients.
Slope & water protection: roots stabilise soil to reduce landslide risk and protect springs used for household water and irrigation.
Livelihoods: as trees mature they create opportunities for beekeeping, nursery businesses, sustainable fuelwood, and youth employment.
Energy & stoves: sustainable wood supply reduces pressure on charcoal, improving the effectiveness of clean cookstove programs.
Funding leverage: donors track community care and documented survival; visible stewardship increases chances for additional funding to scale restoration.