In Brazil, invasive grasses and leaf-cutter ants are two major impediments to forest restoration, and they are usually controlled with herbicides and insecticides. The Tietê Forests project is carrying out experiments to test and compare different ways to reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides and pesticides in ecological restoration. These pictures are from Experiment 01, which aims to compare the conventional approach (i.e. using herbicides) and the organic approach (herbicide-free). The three images show the growth of a Peito de pombo (Tapirira guianensis) after six months using a conventional approach (with herbicides), a ''reduced" herbicides approach, and finally our fully organic method. There is significantly slower growth using the organic approach; despite mowing, invasive grasses still compete with the seedlings (and win!) for water and nutrients.