From orbit, the Earth offers a silent testimony to change. Cities spread, forests shrink, and coastlines shift. But occasionally, satellites capture something else—something hopeful. In western Uganda, subtle yet striking changes in the landscape are beginning to appear from above. Where once the land bore the scars of overuse and deforestation, new pockets of green are emerging. These visible shifts reflect a broader story of restoration, one that begins with people and trees.
Drone photo of forested area in Uganda. Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, DGB.
This is the story of the Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, a large-scale afforestation initiative developed by DGB Group in collaboration with the Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project (BCCP). Located in the corridor forests between the Budongo and Bugoma reserves, the project works with local communities to restore degraded land, protect endangered chimpanzees, and improve rural livelihoods.
In a region where forest loss has historically been driven by necessity—clearing land to farm and cutting trees for cooking fuel—DGB’s nature-based approach is helping communities shift toward long-term sustainability. And now, years after the first seedlings have been planted, the impact is beginning to show. From above, select areas of the landscape reveal a visible greening—an early but encouraging signal that ecological recovery is taking root.
This blog takes a closer look at the project’s goals, methods, and impact from above and on the ground—alongside the visual evidence that restoration, even in its early phases, can sometimes be seen not only by those who live it, but even from space.
The Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project in focus
Land degradation is one of the most urgent—yet overlooked—environmental crises today. Nearly 40% of the world’s land is degraded, with deforestation, soil depletion, and biodiversity loss threatening ecosystems and livelihoods. This degradation is evident in western Uganda, where communities rely on dwindling natural resources for survival.
In Hoima and Masindi districts, forests that once linked Uganda’s critical chimpanzee habitats—Budongo and Bugoma reserves—have been disappearing since the 1990s. Without protection, these vital ‘corridor forests’ were cleared for timber, farmland, and fuel, leaving behind fragmented, degraded land. As forests shrank, chimpanzees were forced into closer contact with humans, raiding crops and sparking conflict. The balance between survival and conservation was collapsing—until the Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project stepped in.
Bulindi chimpanzee in its natural forest habitat. Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, DGB.
Bulindi sits in a fragile but crucial ecological corridor between Budongo and Bugoma, home to over 1,000 chimpanzees. Unlike the protected reserves, Bulindi’s forests belong to local villagers, leaving them vulnerable to overexploitation. By the time the project began, decades of logging and farming had left the land depleted, with 300+ chimpanzees struggling to survive in shrinking forest patches—increasingly clashing with humans over scarce resources.
Read more: Conservation triumph: the Bulindi Chimpanzee Project shines on Planet Earth III
DGB, in partnership with the Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project (BCCP), launched an integrated conservation model that restores ecosystems while uplifting communities. The project:
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Plants native trees to rebuild chimpanzee habitats and reconnect forest fragments.
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Aims to plant 31.5 million trees and bushes, restoring 22,700 hectares to revive soil health, water retention, and wildlife corridors.
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Will sequester 10.1 million tonnes of CO₂ (verified under the Gold Standard), contributing to global climate mitigation.
Tree nursery in Uganda. Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, DGB.
But this is more than reforestation—it’s redefining sustainable development. Over 12,000 local farmers are engaged through:
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Training in conservation agriculture and agroforestry.
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Access to fuel-efficient stoves, seedlings, and alternative incomes (like coffee farming).
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Boreholes for clean water and long-term food security.
The result? A future where degraded land is restored, wildlife thrives, and communities prosper—side by side.
Read more: Final validation received for Bulindi Chimpanzee Habitat Restoration Project
Impact from space: Before and after, a look at the transformation
Today, years into implementation, the results are becoming visible—not just to the communities directly involved, but from a wider perspective. Satellite imagery captured over select areas shows marked differences: what was once barren or severely degraded now reveals increased tree cover and more consistent vegetative growth. These visible changes, while covering only parts of the broader project area, are a powerful representation of what’s unfolding on the ground.
Satellite video imagery of selected project sites before and after intervention. DGB Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, Uganda.
The contrast is striking. The project sites are visibly greener. Where deforestation and erosion once stripped away fertile topsoil, new trees now hold the land together. Where biodiversity has diminished, bird calls and rustling primates return. And where communities once saw no alternative to forest clearing, new sources of income are offering a different path forward.
This is not just ecological restoration—it’s a renewal of possibilities. It’s proof that, with the right model and local collaboration, degraded landscapes can be revived at scale. And when it starts to show from space, it’s clear: the transformation is real.
Impact on the ground: Restoring forests, protecting species, supporting communities
The project’s impact is not only visible from space. It is experienced by the communities and wildlife on the ground. The trees planted through the project offer farmers far more than environmental gains—they deliver real, tangible returns. Species are carefully selected not only to restore ecological function but also to provide resources that support household incomes and food security. Many of the trees yield fruits, nuts, and fuelwood that farmers can harvest sustainably, creating new opportunities for income without resorting to deforestation.
Local farmer around coffee trees on his farm. Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, DGB.
Agroforestry systems introduced by the project integrate trees with crops and livestock, improving soil fertility, reducing erosion, and boosting overall farm productivity. Farmers are also provided with training and support in sustainable agriculture, ensuring the long-term success and impact of the project.. As these systems mature, farmers benefit from diversified harvests, improved yields, and greater resilience to weather shocks and market fluctuations.
The result is a shift from short-term extraction to long-term abundance: a model where the land works for farmers, not against them. By combining ecological restoration with economic utility, the project ensures that trees are not just planted—but valued, protected, and integrated into the future of farming in Bulindi.
Read more: Rooting for impact: Preparing farmers for the planting season in Bulindi
The project also invests in the next generation. A school sponsorship programme helps ensure that children in the region have access to education, while local schools are engaged through conservation education initiatives. The result is a broader cultural shift, where conservation becomes not just a project goal, but a shared community value.
For the chimps in the project region, the impact is immense. These great apes, once confined to shrinking and fragmented patches of forest scattered across farmland, now have access to safer, more connected habitats. By planting indigenous tree species that provide natural food sources, the project reduces the need for chimpanzees to raid crops—a major source of conflict with local farmers. Reforested corridors along riverbanks and between forest fragments are gradually restoring the connectivity lost to years of logging and land conversion, allowing chimpanzees to move more freely, safely, and naturally across the landscape. Daily monitoring by local teams ensures the wellbeing of these chimpanzees and helps track their behaviour, population health, and habitat use—making sure the project adapts to their needs as the forest regrows around them.
The project’s approach is thus both holistic and long-term, with impacts that can be seen from space and felt on the ground. Although satellite imagery only captures parts of this impact, the changes on the ground reveal the full story of the success of this nature-based project.
Read more: What makes DGB’s reforestation projects unique?
The power of satellite monitoring
In an era where environmental claims are subject to increasing scrutiny, satellite monitoring has emerged as a vital tool in verifying and communicating the impact of restoration efforts. While the most powerful stories often come from the communities on the ground, visual data from above provides an additional layer of evidence, helping stakeholders, auditors, and supporters understand the scale and trajectory of a project’s progress.
In Bulindi, the visible transformation seen in satellite images over certain areas—greening where there was once degradation, denser tree coverage where land was bare—reflects just one piece of a much larger picture. These visuals don’t represent the entire project area, but they do offer a window into the broader ecological recovery taking place through targeted interventions.
Satellite imagery is especially valuable in afforestation and conservation projects because it allows for long-term tracking of changes in vegetation, land use, and forest density. This kind of remote sensing data is not just compelling—it’s also objective and transparent. It supports external verification processes, enhances project reporting, and builds trust with buyers, donors, and communities who want to see concrete, data-driven outcomes.
For DGB, technology like satellite monitoring plays a supporting role in ensuring that our nature-based solutions are credible, scalable, and measurable. It complements the on-the-ground monitoring carried out by local teams and partners and helps validate our high-quality carbon units under internationally recognised standards.
In a field where transparency and impact matter more than ever, these tools allow us to show, not just tell, how restoration works. And when positive change can be tracked from orbit, it adds an unmistakable signal: Nature is recovering, and the results are taking root at scale.
Satellite photo of forested area in Uganda. Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, DGB.
Looking ahead: What this means for the future
The story unfolding in Bulindi is more than a regional conservation effort—it’s a blueprint for how restoration can be done in a way that benefits both people and the planet. It shows that even in landscapes marked by decades of degradation, recovery is possible when local knowledge, long-term commitment, and the right support systems come together.
The visible signs of change—whether captured by satellites or shared by the people who live on the land—signal a larger truth: With the right approach, nature can be restored while supporting sustainable development.
Read more: Why we need to restore high-priority areas like Africa
This is the core of DGB’s mission: to deliver nature-based solutions that are measurable, verifiable, and deeply rooted in community partnerships. Each tree planted, each species conserved, and each community member supported contributes to a more resilient system—one where biodiversity thrives alongside human development.
As global demand for carbon units continues to rise, projects like Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project prove that impact can be both environmental and social. And as more areas begin to show signs of recovery from above, they challenge us to scale what works and to invest in solutions that restore, rather than exploit, the natural world.
Our work in Bulindi is far from finished. Restoration is a long-term journey. But from the forest floor to satellite altitude, the signals are clear: nature is resilient, and with the right approach, so is the future.
Nature-based solutions that work
At DGB, we develop nature-based solutions that go beyond carbon. Our solutions regenerate ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and empower communities. Projects like Bulindi are part of a growing global movement that proves restoration is not only possible, but measurable and investable.
Drone photo of tree nursery. Bulindi Agroforestry and Chimpanzee Conservation Project, DGB.
For businesses, nature-based solutions offer more than carbon compensation. They offer a way to align sustainability goals with real-world impact—improving supply chain resilience, strengthening stakeholder trust, and contributing to global biodiversity targets. These projects aren’t just good for the planet; they’re good for business too.
If you’re looking to integrate nature into your sustainability strategy, discover how DGB’s high-impact, verified projects can help your business lead with purpose.
