Frequently
Asked
Questions

MORFO has developed a solution for large-scale ecological restoration of forest ecosystems. We restore areas, mainly concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions such as the Atlantic Forest and the African Equatorial Forest, which were previously forested and have been deforested, thus becoming unproductive.

Our company's MORFO solution is a multi-stage reforestation process:

1> Analysis
Firstly, data collection via drones and satellites is used to analyze the area to be reforested.

2> Seed selection and collection
Suitable local or even endemic species are selected from an in-house catalog (i.e., studied and tested in the laboratory). They are then collected by local communities to best meet the needs of the ecosystem.

3> Planting
Our drones disperse the seeds in capsules containing all the biological and nutritional elements required for long-term reforestation. A single drone can process up to 50 hectares per day, with each drone capable of planting 180 capsules per minute on steep, difficult-to-access terrain. This is 50 times faster than a traditional reforestation solution, and without the months of nursery growth.

4> Forestry monitoring
The evolution of plantations is closely monitored through biomass, biodiversity and carbon stock monitoring, using images taken by drones and satellites.

MORFO is a Franco-Brazilian company. It was founded in May 2021 by two brothers, Hugo and Pascal Asselin, who grew up in French Guiana, close to the Amazon rainforest.

Pascal and Hugo founded MORFO with Adrien Pagès (CEO). The company now has 25 employees, based in our offices in Rio de Janeiro, Paris and Libreville.

MORFO has offices in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Europe (Paris) and Africa (Libreville).

We focus our efforts on restoring forest ecosystems in tropical and subtropical zones, mainly in South America and Africa.

> 1 million hectares and 1.2 billion trees planted worldwide. That's equivalent to the size of countries like Lebanon, Puerto Rico or Jamaica.
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>20 million tons of CO2 sequestered by our forests.
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> More than 1,000 tropical species studied and categorized in our catalog
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> More than 10 biomes analyzed.
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> 10,000 people involved in our projects around the world, with more than 300 people working at MORFO.

Yes!
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Working at MORFO means taking part in the fight against climate change by restoring forest ecosystems that concentrate unique biodiversity, while at the same time having a significant social impact, based on three very strong areas of innovation: agritech, artificial intelligence and drone technologies.

Join the MORFO team now by applying here !

MORFO charges a fee per hectare for analysis, planting and follow-up planting, for a minimum period of 5 years. The price per hectare depends on a number of factors, such as the location of the land, access and its current condition. If you would like more information, we can provide a free analysis.

Our customers are mainly organizations that own land for reforestation. They may be states, local governments, NGOs or companies.

Would you like to call on MORFO to reforest a plot of land? Fill in this form or make an appointment directly with one of our experts.

Today, we have an evolving catalog of 200 species that we select according to reforestation projects, and plant at least 20 local species in each project.

Reforestation is not just about planting individual trees, but about creating complete plant ecosystems. Promoting plant species diversity in our restoration projects is one of MORFO's priorities. We select the species planted to maximize biodiversity and recreate the natural ecosystem, mimicking the stages of forest ecological succession.

Our seeds are placed in seed capsules. These capsules contain all the biological and nutritional elements needed for long-term reforestation. We use drones to disperse and plant these capsules on site, ensuring efficient and sustainable reforestation practices that benefit the environment.

The three main benefits of using capsules are as follows:
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>Seed protection
Seed capsules protect seeds from external factors, preserving their viability.
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>Feeding during early growth stages
Seed capsules provide essential nutrients to support their needs during the early stages of seedling development.
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> Restoration of degraded soils
Our method helps to revitalize and revitalize impoverished soils, promoting the overall recovery of ecosystems.

MORFO devotes itself daily to research and development in our in-house laboratories and in collaboration with partners to carefully select the best seeds for each reforestation project. Today, our catalog includes over 200 species that have been studied or are currently under investigation. To be selected, species must meet a minimum of 13 criteria, some of which are mandatory while others are not.

Ecological succession describes how the forest ecosystem progressively moves from one stage to another, following disturbances, whether natural or due to human activity.

Of the 6 stages in the growth of a forest, reforestation is often only used on three stages, with the aim of accelerating growth. At MORFO, for example, our interventions focus on the following three stages:

‍>The perennial herbaceous stage
‍Thanks tothese fast-growing plants, soils begin to recover, insects and animals begin to reappear, and ecosystem reconstitution begins.

‍>The pioneer species stage
‍Thisstage is crucial in order to launch the base of the forest, since it plays the role of fixing it.

‍>The fast-growing tree species stage
‍Planting ofthese species in order to accelerate vegetation cover, while playing on the density of ratios according to the advancement of the forest's stage of development.

In subtropical forests, trees can generally grow faster than in other types of forest, due to the favorable environmental conditions. Subtropical forests benefit from a warm, humid climate, with relatively high temperatures throughout the year and abundant rainfall. These conditions enable trees to enjoy a longer period of active growth and constant access to water and soil nutrients.

It is essential to note that tree growth rates can vary considerably depending on various factors such as the type of tree species present, the age of the trees, soil characteristics and other environmental conditions specific to each region.

Please note, however, that reforestation is not just about planting individual trees, but about creating complete plant ecosystems. Promoting plant species diversity in our restoration projects is one of MORFO's priorities.

In the laboratory, we achieve survival rates averaging 80% (from 55 to 100% depending on the species). In the field, we work with nature, sometimes on very degraded terrain. Our aim, by combining our various technologies (capsules, soil analysis, weather forecast monitoring...) is to get closer to this percentage rate.

We pay particular attention to the evolution of our plantations by monitoring biomass, biodiversity and carbon stocks. These analyses enable us to measure the evolution of plant growth and carbon capture. They also enable us to diagnose any problems or low success rates, so that they can be remedied, for example through future planting.

MORFO uses several tools to carry out accurate and regular monitoring: drone and satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and field analyses.

MORFO reforestation monitoring is regular and long-term. It extends over a period of 5 to 30 years. This period varies according to the complexity and scale of the restoration project, as well as the conservation and preservation objectives of the ecosystems.

> Drones are more efficient
‍Theyplant between 20 and 100 times faster than humans. A single drone can process up to 50 hectares per day and plant 180 seed capsules per minute.

‍>Drones cut costs
‍Theiruse is up to 5 times cheaper, due to their speed of planting, but also because planting by drone avoids the structuring of a nursery and its maintenance for several months.

‍> Drones are safer
‍Theyaccess remote areas and enable planting in zones too dangerous for humans, which is very regularly the case in the reforestation projects we run.

‍>But our drones do not replace humans
‍At every stage of a project, human intervention remains crucial, from terrain analysis to species selection, planting and monitoring ecosystem evolution. Up to 20% of all our projects are carried out by hand.

In our projects, drones are a tool for scaling up on two levels:
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>Forest analysis and monitoring
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‍Beforeplanting, we use a variety of analysis methods to study the soils and characteristics of the area to be reforested. Some of these analyses include satellite imagery to obtain an overview of the area, and drone imagery with a more precise resolution for detailed information.
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These data are then combined with our species catalog established in the laboratory to produce a planting scheme. The analysis drone can also be used to geolocate the species present at the time of planting and to monitor plant growth after planting.
This drone model enables us to differentiate between the different existing forest strata and to accurately monitor the growth of all vegetation.
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>The plantation
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‍Weuse agricultural drones capable of lifting fairly substantial loads and dispersing unique capsules that we have developed with public laboratories and scientists. These drones are large, around 1.50 meters in diameter. With our partners, we have developed release systems adapted to our capsules.

We use both manual planting and seed dispersal by drone, as the two methods complement each other. Manual planting is always carried out by local people and NGOs.

For example, on a project in northern Rio, we used drones to replant 75% of the area, while local people helped replant the remaining 25%. ITPA provided us with knowledge of the Mata Atlantica biome, access to a nursery for manual planting and local workers to carry out the planting.

Promoting plant species diversity in our restoration projects is one of our priorities. We select the species planted to maximize biodiversity and recreate the native ecosystem, mimicking the stages of forest ecological succession.

Researching and studying tree species is an intensive R&D task. We work with recognized specialist laboratories, such as the IRD, to improve plantations and survival rates in the different biomes we work in.

We know that forests are a major solution for absorbing carbon dioxide, capturing around 35% of the carbon in the atmosphere, according to the IPCC. Recognizing the importance of acting quickly, at MORFO we combine effective technology and research to reforest at a high rate. With just one drone, we are able to plant up to 50 hectares per day, sowing 180 seeds per minute. We focus our efforts on tropical and subtropical areas, which have a higher carbon absorption capacity.

At MORFO, we give ourselves several safeguards:

> We only work with companies that have a verified strategy in place to reduce their emissions.
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> Our carbon credits are based on 3 inseparable pillars: carbon capture, biodiversity restoration, and social impact by including local communities at every stage of our projects.
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> We work on reforestation projects, in areas that would never have grown without us.

It's important to note that the ecological benefits of reforestation can vary according to regional contexts, local biodiversity and specific environmental conditions. However, reforestation remains an essential approach to restoring and preserving ecosystems and biodiversity, while helping to mitigate climate change and improve environmental quality.

‍>Promoting ecosystem regeneration
‍Reforestationwith the MORFO method helps to restore degraded ecosystems by promoting the natural regeneration of vegetation and restoring natural habitats for local wildlife.

‍> Climate regulation
‍Forestsact as climate regulators by mitigating the effects of climate change, such as storms, droughts and floods.

‍>Protecting water resources
‍Forestsplay a crucial role in regulating water flows. They help prevent flooding and maintain a steady supply of water.

‍>Soil stabilization
‍Treeroots help retain soil and prevent erosion, which is particularly important in areas where the soil has suffered extreme degradation.

‍>Soil fertility
‍Overtime, plant organisms decompose, forming organic matter and contributing to the formation of rich, fertile soil. As the soil develops, more and more plants become established.

‍>Improving air quality
‍Treesabsorb air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, ozone and fine particles, helping to improve air quality in woodland areas.

‍>Combating disease and invasive species
‍TheMORFO complete restoration method helps to prevent and counter disease and invasive species that can appear during single-species projects, for example.

To date, over 1,000 people have worked directly or indirectly with MORFO on our projects in Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, France and French Guiana. We are convinced that this close collaboration with local stakeholders is essential for the long-term success of our reforestation projects.

By working with local stakeholders, we are able to improve the quality of future reforestations by better understanding the characteristics of the area in question.

Local communities are involved at various stages:
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>Consultation
We implement a participatory process that begins with a public consultation phase to gather feedback and expectations from the local community. This feedback is then used to adapt the project, taking into account aspects such as the species to be planted, the planting method, the follow-up period for planting and harvesting, as well as the needs and expectations of local communities.
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>Seed collection
We also work closely with local stakeholders to collect seeds, prepare the land and ensure the long-term monitoring of reforestation projects. We collaborate with local associations to provide valuable assistance in setting up projects, and in some cases, to help with planting in the traditional way.
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>And also...
Soil analysis, nursery management, soil preparation, planting of seedlings, forest maintenance and supervision.