How Fresopolis makes the desert bloom with Paulownia
Welcome to Fresopolis – a place not only surrounded by lush green forest on Google Maps, but also telling a special story at its heart. Anyone who visits our farm today immediately feels a sense of peace, vitality, and hope. But it wasn’t always like this: like many agricultural lands worldwide, our farm was deforested in the 1980s, intensively used, and treated with chemicals. The former diversity gave way to a barren, depleted landscape. When we took over in 2019, more than 50% of our land was devastated – a reflection of the global crisis in which around 30% of all agricultural soils are now degraded.
We faced the question: How can we bring these lands back to life? We found the answer in regenerative agriculture – and in 2024, we took the step of planting our first agroforestry system in one of the ‘Fresopolis deserts.’ We chose the Paulownia, also known as the Empress Tree. Why this tree in particular? Paulownia is not only one of the fastest-growing trees on earth, but it also stores up to 46 times more CO2 in 20 years than a German oak. It is drought-tolerant, resistant to pests, and is recommended by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture as a bee-friendly tree species. In just 20 years, a Paulownia tree can bind up to 1,197 kg of CO2 – a true climate tree that actively contributes to rewilding and breathes new life into the soil.
What’s special about Fresopolis: Our Paulownias bloomed in their very first year
a unique experience that even surprised seasoned growers, as Paulownias usually only bloom from the fifth year onwards. This miracle shows how special our place is – and how much power nature holds when given space to unfold.
Everyone who visits us feels the positive energy and hope radiating from our agroforestry. Fresopolis is a place of transformation – for nature, for us, and for everyone who wants to be part of this journey. Once you’ve been here, you’ll never want to leave.
Paulownia – our tree of the future: fast-growing, bee-friendly, climate-active, and a symbol of new beginnings. This is how we turn desert back into forest – step by step, tree by tree.
Author: Francesco del Orbe
