At the APOPO HeroTREEs program in Tanzania, we are inspired by young people who are helping to restore degraded land and create greener futures. This season, Ruben van Voorst, a Bachelor’s student from Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, joined the team to carry out his final-year research in International Forest and Nature Management, with a specialization in Tropical Forestry.
Throughout his studies, Ruben has explored forest management, agroforestry systems, silvicultural practices, statistical analysis, and mapping technologies such as ArcGIS. His growing interest in agroforestry — the art of integrating trees, crops, and people in ways that benefit both nature and local communities — has led him to focus on how ecological restoration can go hand in hand with improved livelihoods.
During his internship, Ruben was introduced to Syntropic Agroforestry — an approach that imitates natural forest succession to create thriving, self-sustaining ecosystems. Instead of planting crops in isolation, Syntropic Agroforestry layers trees, shrubs, and food plants in a dynamic system where each species contributes to the whole. The method restores soil fertility, boosts biodiversity, increases yields over time, and helps farmers adapt to climate change by making their land more resilient to droughts and floods.
This innovative model reflects the goals of APOPO’s HeroTREEs program, which works with smallholder farmers around Morogoro, Tanzania, to restore degraded land through tree planting and regenerative agriculture. Each tree planted through the program captures carbon, improves soil structure, and supports local livelihoods — while offsetting the carbon footprint of APOPO’s global operations.
As part of his Bachelor thesis, titled “How well does the FarmTree tool reproduce above- and below-ground biomass accumulation for different species in Syntropic Agroforestry plots in Morogoro, Tanzania?”, Ruben is conducting field research with the APOPO HeroTREEs team. His work aims to calibrate and evaluate the FarmTree modelling tool, enhancing its accuracy in predicting biomass growth and supporting data-driven decisions for more sustainable agroforestry design.
Developed by the Dutch social enterprise FarmTree, this decision-support tool models how trees and crops interact over time. By combining data on soil, climate, and species characteristics, it estimates carbon storage, growth rates, and economic returns — helping farmers and researchers assess how different agroforestry systems perform in real-world conditions.
Through this research, Ruben aims to contribute to the wider adoption of Syntropic Agroforestry — strengthening soil health, food security, and climate resilience in tropical regions.
The APOPO HeroTREEs program is proud to support young researchers like Ruben, whose commitment to regenerative land use is helping advance sustainable agriculture in Tanzania and beyond.