GoMAD Project Funding: Phoenix Forests – Bhutan’s Forest Revival

April 3, 2025

Our student Eden & her colleagues at Pearson College UWC, driven by concerns over devastating forest fires in Bhutan, launched “Phoenix Forests – Bhutan’s Forest Revival.” With ‘GoMAD’ funding, an award programme that offers grants of up to $2,000 to successful projects from students across the UWC schools and colleges network, Eden’s project partners with the Bhutan Youth Development Fund to restore fire-affected areas by planting native trees, training youth volunteers and educating communities on fire prevention.  

“There’s this helplessness that comes with watching something unfold right before your eyes, knowing you can’t do anything about it.” Eden explains, setting the stage for a personal account of their journey and the project’s impact. 

“Lately, I’ve been experiencing it far too often. Every time I’d open my social media, I’d be bombarded with recent updates about ongoing forest fires with bold headlines like “Forest fire remains uncontrollable despite days of efforts to extinguish it.”  Every time it would dishearten me and I would be left with an overwhelming sense of guilt for not being able to take any action. That’s when the project idea of “Bhutan’s Phoenix Forests” arose. Me and my other UWC co-years and seniors often found time to meet up and share our concerns whenever such news surfaced on our feeds. So, when Go Make a Difference was introduced in my school, I saw it as not just a funding opportunity but a real chance to take significant action.” 

“Our project “Phoenix Forests – Bhutan’s Forest Revival” will address the severe environmental degradation caused by recent forest fires. In collaboration with the Bhutan Youth Development Fund (YDF) and their “Nurture a Tree” program, we will mobilize local youth volunteers to restore ecosystems by planting native tree species. Our first step is to identify fire-affected areas most at risk of erosion and biodiversity loss, prioritizing regions that will benefit the most from restoration. The project will involve recruiting and training youth volunteers to ensure that they are well equipped with the skills needed for successful tree planting and care. Additionally, we will also organize community workshops to raise awareness about fire prevention and the crucial role of forests in mitigating climate change. After the tree planting, we’ll ensure timely follow-up to track the survival rates of the trees and ensure continued community involvement in the ongoing care of the forests. Through this initiative, we envision a future where Bhutan’s forests rise from its ashes and thrive, resisting both environmental and social challenges.”