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Organization	Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
Region	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Website	Website
Facebook	Facebook
Twitter	@Twitter
ProjectLeader	Christopher MARTIUS

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Thousands of hectares of land in Yangambi (northern DR Congo) are no longer productive after decades of overexploitation. The soil is poor, agriculture yields are low, and trees for wood energy are scarce. In response, local communities are planting trees to restore the land. Over 1 million trees have been planted in agroforestry systems that enrich the soil, feed families, and meet local energy needs. With your help, we can plant another million trees!

Challenge

The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve is a protected area of 230,000 hectares that is threatened by a growing population that faces limited economic opportunities. About 220,000 people live in this rural area, mostly depending on the exploitation of natural resources for their livelihoods. To protect the natural forest and its biodiversity, it is therefore crucial to create sustainable alternatives that can improve the living conditions of the population.

Long-Term Impact

This project has already employed over 1,800 people to work in nurseries, planting trees, community mobilization, work safety and logistics. Some of them used their salaries as capital to start small enterprises, and the local economy is becoming more dynamic. Tree planting is accompanied by trainings in agroforestry and improved charcoal production, which is changing practices towards long-term sustainability. A small biomass plant will soon produce electricity by using some of these trees.