The Miombo Belt Regeneration Program

Spanning Zambia, Malawi, and Tanzania, WeForest’s Miombo Belt Regeneration Program is focused on forest conservation and restoration led by local communities. Across all three countries, we work alongside community partners and local authorities to combine landscape-scale restoration with community-led governance and alternative livelihoods.  

Lavushimanda Community Conservation Project, Zambia

This reporting period marks a significant step forward for our work, with the formal merging of the Chintumukulu Project and the Mpumba Community Conservation Project into the Lavushimanda Community Conservation Project, a unified large-landscape vision designed to deliver lasting solutions for both communities and conservation.

The beekeeping scheme recently exceeded expectations in terms of hectares allocated by farmers for conservation, with 878 hectares being allocated by 365 farmers. This demonstrates that well-designed livelihood alternatives can directly drive conservation outcomes. Also seven lead farmers were supported to conduct an exchange visit to an AgriTech Expo in Chisamba where they actively engaged in discussions, observed established agroforestry sites and practices, and learnt about innovative technologies. Visits like this build the knowledge and confidence that farmers carry back into their communities. 

Katanino, Zambia

The Katanino Project was certified by Preferred by Nature using the Ecological Restoration Standard, demonstrating it successfully meets international best practice. Preferred by Nature auditors spent a week in the field, visiting six locations across the 4,380-hectare Miombo Belt project area, including permanent monitoring plots assessing the forest structure within the natural regeneration sites, native forest reference areas, and farm land. 

They reviewed documentation spanning planning, implementation, and monitoring activities, and spoke directly with community members, local leaders, and project staff. What they found confirmed that the Katanino project is not only meeting international standards for ecological restoration, but also doing so in genuine partnership with the communities who depend on the forest. The certification validates that this work is real, rigorous, and replicable. 

Mukungule, Zambia

The Protecting Nature Improving Lives’ Project in Mukungule aims to improve the health and resilience of ecological and human communities in and around Zambia's Luangwa Valley that depend on natural resources. This period focused on strengthening the foundations for community governance and financial sustainability. 

Organisational skills assessments were conducted for all 10 village action groups to guide targeted capacity-building.

Financial training was also conducted for all 10 village action groups. Some 200 additional farmers were trained on beekeeping, and refresher training was provided to 800 farmers. A cumulative 1,698 hectares has been allocated for beekeeping and sustainable forest management by 1,000 farmers since project inception.  

Mahele, Tanzania

The Mahale Mountains project aims to deliver positive impacts for people and nature by promoting sustainable land management, primarily through the development of 1,500 hectares of agroforestry systems on smallholder farms. One of the ways the project is implemented is through education. 

Recently, an Environmental Education Program session was held at Kalya Secondary School, where Lameck Matungwa, the Mahale National Park outreach officer, facilitated discussions with government leaders. He led the session using a participatory approach, supported by visual presentations, while participants attentively listened, took notes, and engaged in dialogue.

This session provided an overview of National Parks in Tanzania, the unique biodiversity of Mahale National Park, as well as legal frameworks and conservation challenges (poaching, illegal fishing, deforestation, invasive species and climate change) and proposed solutions (e.g. community education, alternative energy). The session was held to enhance government leaders' understanding of sustainable agriculture, conservation laws, and enforcement strategies.

Programs like this are essential: building shared understanding among government leaders of the conservation and agricultural context in which the project operates, and of their role in supporting sustainable outcomes. 

Mount Mulanje, Malawi

The main mission in Mount Mulanje is to conserve existing woodlands, restore areas of miombo woodlands lost to rapid deforestation, and secure these gains through sustainable models of economic development. 

Forest governance is key. This period saw meaningful progress on multiple fronts. Two meetings were held with law courts and police to address legal bottlenecks in forest law enforcement. During these meetings, 40 community scouts were trained on law enforcement approaches to boost patrols in Khamula.

Awareness campaigns were conducted on community compliance to the Forestry Act, agroforestry rules of engagement, and the project’s grievance redress mechanism. Across the two districts, around 1,250 people attended. 

Across all three countries, this period reflects the value of sustained, community-centeredwork. Certifications are achieved, governance structures are strengthened and farmers allocated land for conservation to secure long-term resilience for their communities and their livelihoods.

We are grateful for your continued partnership and commitment to this program. Your support makes it possible to work at the scale, depth, and pace that landscapes like the Miombo Belt require.

 With thanks,

Alexandra Dawe

WeForest, Head of Marketing & Communications

Links:

• Miombo Belt Regeneration

Dear friend,

The Miombo woodlands remain a lifeline for millions across southern Africa, yet pressures from unsustainable land use and climate change continue to threaten these vital ecosystems. Thanks to your support, WeForest is working hand in hand with communities to strengthen forest stewardship, improve livelihoods and promote climate-smart solutions rooted in local leadership.

Copperbelt’s Forest Restoration Project

In Zambia’s Copperbelt, a survey across the Imanda Community Forest Area documented tree species diversity and distribution patterns, strengthening the foundation for restoration planning. Eight awareness meetings on sustainable forest management were held, and 128 farmers were trained in sustainable forest management, agroforestry, land-use planning and business skills. A further 155 farmers joined the beekeeping scheme, with their miombo plots verified for conservation and assisted natural regeneration. Over 20,000 kg of honey were harvested from beehives belonging to 349 farmers, with an average yield of 19 kg per occupied hive—demonstrating how forest protection and income generation go hand in hand.

Climate-smart innovation is also gaining momentum. Twenty lead farmers were selected for the Climate Smart Agriculture project, and surveys on manure management informed the piloting of methane-reducing technologies for dairy production. Thirty-five participants were trained in biodigester construction and maintenance, leading to the installation of eight biodigesters. The Behaviour-Centered Design campaign was launched at the Forest Landscape Restoration Indaba and the District Agriculture Show, complemented by four radio programmes promoting sustainable forest management and green businesses.

Katanino’s Forest Restoration Project

At Katanino Forest Reserve, restoration and resilience efforts continue to grow. A total of 181,801 pine and agroforestry seedlings were planted, while fire response teams were established across five project zones and 25 community members were trained in fire management. Five camera traps are now monitoring wildlife presence. Beekeeping remains a cornerstone of livelihoods: 440 beekeepers—75% of them women—attended refresher training, 1,400 hives were baited, 750 repaired, and nearly 5,000 hives are now active across 998 plots. A successful renegotiation of comb honey prices increased returns for producers, and 29 households diversified their livelihoods further by receiving goats.

Mukungule’s Forest Restoration Project

In Mukungule, all ten Village Action Groups underwent organizational assessments, revealing strong conservation motivation and agroforestry skills, alongside opportunities to strengthen capacity, gender inclusion and resource mobilization. Honey value chain coordination meetings resulted in the selection of a buyer and improved harvest planning. While mid-year honey sampling showed some challenges—with empty hives likely due to environmental stressors—signs of brood recovery offer hope. Exchange visits with Katanino strengthened peer learning, and post-harvest meetings helped communities better understand market dynamics and align on next steps during project transition.

Across landscapes, from biodiversity monitoring to biodigesters, from seedlings to sustainable honey markets, your generosity is helping communities protect and restore the Miombo while building resilient local economies.

With gratitude,

The WeForest Team

Links:

• Katanino Project
• Copperbelt Project
• Mukungule Project