The Olympic Forests Network – a framework for nature

In 2021, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the Olympic Forest to support the Great Green Wall, an ambitious effort to restore degraded landscapes across the Sahel. The project set out to plant 590,000 native trees in Mali and Senegal ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, creating social, economic and environmental benefits for communities heavily affected by climate change.

Interest from several National Olympic Committees in developing similar projects led the IOC to establish the Olympic Forest Network in 2022, a global programme bringing together high-quality restoration initiatives. Guided by IOC principles, projects in the Network range from reforesting landscapes and creating wildlife corridors to restoring coastal watersheds and advancing regenerative agriculture.