The Iberian peninsula was once home to vast stretches of forests that spanned across the northern coast of Spain. Now the region is an arid one with depleted soil baking under the hot sun. Typically such a baron landscape would present a major obstacle for any old reforestation program, but for Amsterdam-based Land Life Company, it’s an ideal place. In one area, the company peppered the dry earth with their signature device: a biodegradable cardboard donut they call the cocoon which can hold 25 liters of water underground to aid a seedling’s first year. Around 16,000 oaks, ashes, walnuts, rowans, and whitebeams were planted in May 2018, and the company reports that 96 percent of them survived the scorching summer without extra irrigation. Land Life Company isn’t the only ones who are working to transform parched areas into lush habitats though. In fact, they are just one of many organizations showing just how feasible it is to bring the forest back to life. For a deeper dive into the world of forest restoration, have a look here.