In June 2025, UNDP released a new publication titled “Building climate resilience through reforestation: a case study on the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone”, which highlights the #FreetownTheTreeTown project, a community reforestation model aimed to plant, grow, and digitally track 5 million trees in climate-vulnerable areas by 2028.
This publication documents the initiative led by the Government of Freetown — winner of the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge.
The project goals
- Local communities to plant and grow 5 million trees in climate-vulnerable areas by 2028.
- Restore 5,000 hectares of land and sequester 100,000 tons of carbon by 2028.
- Create 10,000 direct green jobs through reforestation and nature-based solutions.
- Promote clean cooking and alternative fuels in 500,000 households to reduce deforestation.
- Measure and reduce the risks of floods, landslides, coastal erosion, heat stress, air pollution, and water shortages in the most vulnerable communities.
The approach
- Tree tracking: a digital footprint is created for each tree using mobile and web applications to monitor growth over time.
- Verification: a team of trained data technicians verifies and audits each tree regularly, ensuring accountability and transparency.
- Tokenization: each tree is linked to a digital token, enabling the creation of a reforestation market that supports the growth and maintenance of trees.
- Impact investment: trees are linked to carbon offset contracts with corporate and institutional investors; revenue supports future reforestation and climate adaptation actions as outlined in the Freetown Climate Action Plan.
- Community-centered design: residents co-created the project from its inception, ensuring local ownership and sustainability.
Key achievements
The project has already planted 1.2 million trees across 13 catchments in the Western Area, covering 90 reforestation zones with densities of 5,000–10,000 trees. All trees are digitally tracked, with an 82% survival rate. This digital system enables robust monitoring, informed decision-making, and transparent reporting. The project has also catalyzed job specialization, created over 2,000 green jobs, and established a strong network of local Climate Action Ambassadors and community-based organizations (CBOs) to scale and sustain efforts.
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This publication serves as a case study and a practical guide for policymakers, city leaders, and development practitioners. With this guideline, you will learn how to co-design locally-led climate solutions, leverage digital innovation for ecosystem monitoring, build inclusive governance for nature-based adaptation, and create sustainable financing mechanisms through carbon markets.