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WWF: Momentum Built for Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa
© wideangle/wwftanzania
Restoration by all for all

June 2024 was a milestone month for forest landscape restoration (FLR), as WWF FLR focal points, partners, CSOs, and other stakeholders gathered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for three pivotal meetings: the FLR in Africa Initiative 3rd Annual Meeting, the AFR100 Annual Partnership Meeting, and the 10th Annual Eastern and Southern Africa Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products Stakeholders Forum. Nestled in the warm, sunny coastal breeze, the gatherings began with the WWF FLR in Africa Initiative 3rd Annual Meeting. This meeting brought together focal points from the nine African countries involved in the Initiative’s implementation, along with the dedicated FLR core team, advisors, and global leaders, as well as partners. Under the inspiring theme “Roadmap towards achieving 2027 Initiative’s Goals,” participants engaged in a two-day session of reflection and planning. The initiative's goals extend beyond tree planting to include creating sustainable livelihoods and preserving biodiversity. Efforts focus on establishing enabling conditions—such as government policies, financial mechanisms, business models, and community capacity—that foster forest landscape restoration across the nine African countries. Participants evaluated progress from 2021 to 2024 and collaboratively strategized for the upcoming years, shaping the visionary three-year plan for 2025-2027.

The second key event, co-organized by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) and WWF Tanzania, was the Restoration Academy and the AFR100 8th Annual Partnership Meeting (APM8). Held under the theme “Restoring Forest Landscapes for a Healthy Planet and Wealthy Communities,” the meetings reinforced the FLR in Africa Initiative's contribution to the African Forest Landscape Restoration (AFR100) Initiative—an ambitious, country-led effort to restore over 120 million hectares of degraded and deforested land across Africa. The FLR in Africa Initiative’s goal is to enable governments in the nine participating countries to fulfill their AFR100 commitments, promoting sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. By 2027, the Initiative aims to restore 13.5 million hectares of degraded lands and deforested landscapes

© Gaudensia Kalabamu
Floods in Tanzania

The APM8 began with a full-day field trip to Vikindu and Pugu Forest Reserves to observe and witness Tanzania's restoration efforts. These sites, previously deforested due to unsustainable urban development and agriculture, have been under restoration since 2017. These forests exemplified and revealed  significant recovery in ecosystem goods and services, and the forests' legal status has been elevated to Nature Forest Reserves, supporting ecotourism and creating green jobs. However, as young environmentalist Sharon Ringo emphasized in her keynote address, the ecological restoration process is still ongoing, and collective efforts must continue.

Following this field excursion, a regional workshop as part of the APM8, was held to discuss and develop national and regional strategies and roadmaps for establishing the AFR100 FLR National Stakeholders Platform, Technical Assistance Platforms/Restoration Helpdesk, and Registries at the country level. This workshop aimed to create a collaborative framework to support the restoration goals and ensure effective implementation across the continent.

The APM8’s high level segment was then officially opened with the objective “Fostering Partnerships to Scale Up FLR in Africa,” involving political, technical, and financial partners, including the private sector. Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Angellah Kairuki, alongside Madagascar Minister of Environment Hon. Max Fontaine, officiated the occasion and commended the progress in restoration efforts. The 34 African countries with AFR100 commitments reported to have put under restoration about 73 million hectares against their 130 million hectares AFR100 commitment. The WWF FLR in Africa Initiative has identified and mapped a total of 4.1 million hectares for restoration and already brought about 1.8 million hectares under restoration, as contribution to the continental target.

© Gaudensia Kalabamu
meeting participants

The final event of the June 2024 meetings in Dar es Salaam was the 10th Annual Eastern and Southern Africa Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) Stakeholders Forum. This forum, themed “Sustainability of Timber and NTFPs Trade: Fostering Collaboration and Financing,” brought together representatives from regional economic communities (EAC & SADC), governments, CSOs, and the private sector from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The forum provided a platform to discuss experiences, lessons learned, and future plans for implementing the Zanzibar Declaration. Participants also addressed the challenges and opportunities related to financing forest conservation efforts and aimed to onboard the Maputo Declaration on sustainable miombo management as part of the forum’s discussions and implementation.
 
These meetings in Dar es Salaam marked significant progress in forest landscape restoration, fostering collaboration among various stakeholders and setting the stage for continued efforts to restore Africa's vital ecosystems. The collective commitment to sustainable forest management and restoration initiatives is a promising step towards achieving the ambitious goals set by the WWF FLR in Africa Initiative and the AFR100 Initiative, ensuring a healthier planet and prosperous communities across the continent.

© Gaudensia Kalabamu
meeting participants
Gaudensia Kalabamu Photo
Gaudensia Kalabamu

Gaudensia Kalabamu is the Communications officer for the Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa Initiative