What We Do
Enabling communities and forests to thrive together
Community Forests International works in Canada and Zanzibar to help protect and restore forests, support communities adapt to climate change, build economic prosperity, and champion gender and social equity.
We know that fostering strong relationships between people and forests is critical for a safe future. Our solutions always benefit both forests and the people directly connected to them. Community Forests International believes the most important climate solutions can be found wherever people live and work closely with forests.
Where We Come From
Community Forests International was created in 2006 when Mbarouk Mussa Omar, a community activist on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, befriended a Canadian tree-planter who was traveling in the region. Their vision to bring back the region’s forests and help communities adapt to climate change sparked an island-wide movement based on respect, trust and friendship that continues to this day. The success of these grassroots efforts inspired Community Forests International to open an office in New Brunswick in 2010.
Our Story
Where We Work
We know that fostering strong relationships between people and forests is critical to ensuring a climate-secure future — whether on the islands of Zanzibar, the coast of Mozambique, or the Canadian Maritimes. While the special regions we work in are home to different ecosystems and unique challenges, our solutions always benefit both forests and the people directly connected to them.
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Benefitting People and Planet
From restoring degraded lands for immediate environmental and economic benefits, protecting forests for long-term ecosystem and livelihood benefits, to supporting climate-adaptive practices, markets, and innovations intended to enhance livelihoods in the face of climate change — the solutions we work to support and build always center environmental and community resilience.
Annual Reports
Browse our annual reports to learn about the meaningful impact of our work over the past ten years and the proven pathways to resilience that are increasingly needed in so many at-risk communities at the center stage of climate impacts today.
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Protect and Restore Forests Today
Help communities and forests thrive by by making a one-time donation or signing up to become a monthly supporter.
Our Impact
For over 10 years we have been empowering rural communities to thrive with forests. Check out some of our impact to date:
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58K
Direct Beneficiaries
Co-creating solutions for people and the planet.
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2,700
Acres Protected
Protecting endangered forests by holding them in trust.
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3.2mil
Trees Planted
Planting back lost forests for future generations.
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375
Acres of Agroforest
Supporting climate-smart innovation.