Bamboo on degraded farmland, in the Eastern Cape.
The Eastern Cape Bamboo Forestry Project, returning overgrazed farmland to production and building a rural industry on the land it restores.
Every farm we restore to productive use creates opportunities beyond the landscape itself. In communities facing high unemployment and limited access to training, our projects generate local jobs, develop practical skills and expand opportunities for women to participate and progress within our workforce.
How we make an impact in the Eastern Cape.
No Poverty
EcoPlanet creates sustained employment in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, a province facing the country’s highest unemployment rate and high levels of economic hardship. Our workers are paid in accordance with labor legislation and above the poverty threshold, providing reliable incomes that help families meet essential needs, reduce financial vulnerability and build greater stability.
Zero Hunger
EcoPlanet supports households residing on our properties with established vegetable gardens, enabling families to grow produce while reducing their costs for food. We also provide neighboring communities with access to harvest African spinach growing on our farms, which can be used for household consumption or sold locally.
Good Health and Well-Being
The health, safety and well-being of our workers are fundamental to every EcoPlanet project. We continually identify workplace hazards, assess risks and implement controls to prevent injuries and occupational illness. Workers receive health and safety training, appropriate protective equipment and task-specific instruction for all activities. Trained first aiders and emergency procedures strengthen preparedness on site, while access to mobile and community-based clinics helps workers obtain healthcare.
Quality Education
EcoPlanet promotes environmental education among our workers and within local communities, building practical understanding of climate change and the importance of restoring degraded landscapes. Each year, we bring our workers and community members together to explore the impacts of climate change and learn how bamboo can help restore soils, capture carbon and build more resilient ecosystems.
Gender Equality
EcoPlanet actively promotes the inclusion and advancement of women across our workforce and leadership teams. Women currently represent 47% of the team, supporting our operational implementation and management functions in South Africa.
Clean Water and Sanitation
EcoPlanet supports communities residing on our farms with access to water during dry periods, helping meet household needs and sustain the livestock on which many families depend. We have also supported the construction of sanitation facilities, improving hygiene, dignity and access for households.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
EcoPlanet ensures that every worker receives health and safety training, appropriate protective equipment and clear guidance on their workplace rights. We are committed to creating a safe and supportive working environment where both our people and the natural landscapes they restore can thrive.
Responsible Consumption and Production
EcoPlanet partners with organizations in East London and Port Alfred to divert organic waste from landfill and transform it into compost on our farms. The finished compost is applied to our bamboo fields, returning organic matter and nutrients to degraded soils, improving soil health and supporting long-term productivity. This circular approach turns a local waste challenge into a valuable resource for restoration.
Climate Action
EcoPlanet’s bamboo projects in South Africa support climate action by restoring degraded land and capturing carbon as the bamboo grows. The bamboo also provides a renewable source of biomass that can be transformed into products and fuels, helping reduce reliance on more carbon-intensive resources.
Life on Land
EcoPlanet establishes bamboo on degraded land, restoring productive vegetation cover without replacing natural forests. Bamboo helps stabilize soils, reduce erosion and support the gradual recovery of these degraded landscapes. At the same time, indigenous forests and riparian areas occurring within our properties are protected and managed for conservation, safeguarding native plants, wildlife and important ecological processes.
Partnerships for the Goals
EcoPlanet works with local government and local organizations to strengthen the environmental and social impact of our South African projects. These partnerships bring together resources and expertise to support restoration and circular solutions such as diverting organic waste from landfill for composting.
The Eastern Cape Bamboo Forestry Project.
Degraded, overgrazed farmland converted to managed bamboo, farm by farm, on freehold land EcoPlanet owns and operates. Registered with Verra as VCS 3632.
Project Details →