When we arrived here in 2011, we saw the local area and the lagoon were turning to desert.
Causes included slash-and-burn farming, bush fires, hundreds of cattle, goats and sheep roaming freely, branch-cutting by Peul herders to feed livestock or tree-cutting by Serer farmers for cooking fires, bird poaching, wind and rain erosion, intense sun on the soil, and more...
All these factors prevented the natural regeneration of plants, shrubs and trees.
We divided the 8-hectare estate into 8 zones, then reforested in stages, zone by zone.
We created small fish ponds to attract birds, monkeys and other mammals, bats, reptiles and insects from the area.
The fact that they can come and drink, feed, cool off and rest has also contributed to natural seed dispersal.
Apartments Zone
As the well water here is barely salty, we were able to plant tropical trees with broad canopies to reduce ground heat.
BEFORE / AFTER COMPARISON
| 15 JANUARY 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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| 23 MARCH 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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| 24 JANUARY 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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Villa Horus Zone
| 02 MAY 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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| 28 MAY 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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Restaurant Zone
Well water in this area is noticeably salty. We chose to plant trees that thrive in this soil and salinity — date palms, coconut palms, eucalyptus...
| 23 MARCH 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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| 06 MAY 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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| 16 JULY 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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Lagoon Zone
| 13 OCTOBER 2011 | 21 MARCH 2018 |
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