The effects of climate change are multiplying across the world, but they’re felt especially in developing countries and desert regions, where people’s well-being and survival depends directly on their ability to use natural resources sustainably.

Ica in Peru is one such place. We’ve been working there for many years, and in 2014/15, we established a permanent tree nursery at one of the city’s schools, the Colegio Antonia Moreno de Caceres. This has created a living seed bank – a precious resource for long-term environmental conservation.

The bank was developed in partnership with Royal Botanical Gardens Kew and the Association for the Children and Environment (ANIA) in Peru. In the first six months of operation alone it raised 1,354 seedlings, 1,090 of which were planted across Ica. Once fully up and running, the nursery is expected to raise 4,000 seedlings a year.

The nursery is a hugely valuable educational resource, for the school and the wider community, helping people learn how to sow, grow and propagate tree seeds. Five teachers from the school’s Science, Technology and Environment department oversee the nursery. They also lead weekly sessions for the school’s 524 students on the properties of different tree species, helping them to envisage livelihoods that work in harmony with natural resources. Adults from the local area also take part

We’re grateful to The Rufford Foundation for supporting this project.