The innovative Cocoon is a state-of-the-art planting technology that enables trees and plants to establish in arid conditions, revitalizing ecosystems and communities. It is low-cost (10 times cheaper than traditional tree planting), 100% biodegradable (Cocoon dissolves into organic substrate for the plant) and Low maintenance (after planting, no follow up irrigation or maintenance is needed). The Cocoon incorporates other beneficial elements such as mycorrhizal fungi to improve the plant’s root system, a sturdy tree shelter to help protect the sapling and a paper-based pulp made from organically-certified organic compounds and residual plant-based material. Additional research during this project has provided improvements to the structure of the reservoir and lid, as well as more efficient waxing and pressing processes.
The societal and socio-economic impact of this project is immense. Land Life Company has planted trees with the Cocoon in more than 20 countries with survival rates of 80-95%. The various applications of the Cocoon include nature restoration, landscaping, highway planting and productive trees- during the FTI Pilot project, approximately 10 Ha were be used as demonstration sites for 4,000 Cocoons.
In terms of the impact in the production, the final objective of 1 million Cocoons per modular pilot line means reforesting 2,000 ha, opening Land Life Company up to new markets in many countries and lowering cost-price in order to reach a wider audience and volume capacity. Its impact on the environment and social wellbeing will be extremely valuable since:
• Sustainable nature restoration and urban landscaping with the Cocoon creates value for nature and people.
• Using the Cocoon, degraded land can be turned into valuable land with more potential. Degraded land can typically be acquired at a low cost, while the value of surrounding fertile, vegetated lands is 5-10 times higher.
• As the production and usage of resources is interlinked (food, water, energy, soils, CO2), integrated solutions must be developed and deployed. Restoring nature by planting trees on degraded land is the most water efficient way of addressing this challenge and has a positive impact on the long-term availability of resources.
•Trees are the earth's natural way to capture CO2. A full-grown forest may absorb between 1 and 10 t/ha of CO2. A healthy mycorrhizae system may increase the CO2 uptake by a factor of 2 to 3.
•Planting native trees is a starter for ecosystem revitalization. As trees grow, they have multiple positive effects on the ecosystem: water retention capacity, barriers to erosion, shade and humus for vegetation to grow, improved soil quality and soil life.
