Stretching across eastern Africa, this hotspot is a mosaic of forests, grasslands and wetlands that provide life-sustaining services to tens of millions of people. These landscapes regulate climate, secure freshwater, and maintain fertile soils that underpin agriculture and regional stability. Despite their richness, they remain under pressure from entrenched poverty and extractive development models. Restoring these ecosystems is vital.
In Ethiopia, WeForest is restoring the dry Afromontane forests that once blanketed the country's northern highlands. Decades of deforestation, driven by fuelwood collection, overgrazing, and farmland expansion, have left the soil exposed, water scarce, and communities increasingly vulnerable to drought and poverty.
Our work focuses on rebuilding these critical ecosystems through forest landscape restoration in partnership with local communities and authorities. In the Desa'a Forest, WeForest has pioneered soil and water conservation measures, planting and protecting millions of native trees that are reviving natural springs and stabilizing farmland. In the Gewocha Forest, women-led self-help groups are improving household incomes through beekeeping, tree nurseries, and microfinance, demonstrating how rest
Our goal is to restore 38,000 hectares, increasing forest cover and ecological resilience. Strengthen community governance, such as the development and implementation of local bylaws, securing long-term conservation efforts. Improve livelihoods for 203,000+ households, reducing reliance on forest extraction. Enhance water and soil retention, supporting communities and agriculture, as well as protect biodiversity, restoring habitats for key native species.
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