Pemba Island Community Forests
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The Pemba Trees Project started in 2006 when organizational founders Jeff Schnurr and Mbarouk Mussa Omar met on the island of Pemba, Tanzania. Mbarouk Mussa Omar was working with a group of fishermen to stop hotel development on a small island off the Pemban coast called Misali, renowned for exceptional marine biodiversity and local religious significance. Thanks to the efforts of Mbarouk and the Misali Island Conservation Association, Misali Island, shaped like a prayer mat and orientated towards Mecca, was designated a marine conservation area with ecotourism revenues contributing to the construction of schools, roads and wells in Pemban fishing communities. As government interference made it increasingly difficult to support rural communities around the island, Mbarouk and his group of like-minded Pembans approached Jeff Schnurr to ask more about his experiences planting trees in the Canadian wilderness. The two began to travel to rural villages to meet with elders and communities leaders to gauge the feasibility of a tree planting initiative and within a year, 7 rural tree nurseries had been established with support from the Finnish Cooperation Fund, while several hundred hectares of community-managed land was donated to the communities by the Government of Zanzibar.
Today, Community Forests International represents collaboration between farmers, local foresters, government and communities in the planting of over 200,000 trees in 12 rural communities. Based on a belief that local empowerment can lead to positive environmental change collectively, rural Pembans are taught how to collect seed from their surrounding forest and propagate seedlings in community owned nurseries. Over ten different tree species for timber, fruit, nuts and soil protection are planted, and as communities witnesses positive effects on wildlife and climate stability, the cultivation of other species is being explored.
The organization’s local branch, Community Forests Pemba, which employs three full-time staff, is currently building a research facility and training centre, offering Pembans the first post-graduate opportunity to study forestry and the environment on their home island. As unstable weather patterns, soil erosion and degraded land-use methods threaten to affect Pemban livelihoods, Community Forests Pemba is working to develop a climate change planting project that will use carbon credit revenues to support community development while securing the futures of those that live and depend on forestlands for sustenance.
We Purchased a Vehicle for Pemba – Thanks to Your Support!
For the past few years, we’ve been relying on a vehicle borrowed from the Misali Island Conservation Association in order to move equipment, trees and our staff to the 14 communities that have participated in the Pemba Trees project. As of October 1, 2010, this arrangement was no longer available, threatening our programming, and the future of our tree-planting efforts. Thanks to your generous contributions we were able to purchase a vehicle and continue our successful tree-planting project. Thank-you all so much!
Want to support our project? 100% of our efforts are made possible by the generous support of individuals like you!
