Due to the increase in population and the need for woodfuel for cooking and heating, Malawi has lost 85% of its trees in the last 20 years, and as the graph shows: at current rates of population growth and deforestation, by 2025 the country will no longer have enough biomass to sustain the population.
Zomba TREEZ aims to mitigate the damage caused by the loss of the biomass and help reduce the effects of climate change in the Zomba area. Through raising awareness, tree planting, promotion of natural regeneration and fire prevention we aim to increase water retention, reduce soil erosion, provide clean air and water, and protect and preserve Malawi’s biodiversity.
• For the past 4 years Zomba TREEZ has sponsored 2 local football teams: The Happy Hammers and the Berries FC. For the past 2 years Zomba TREEZ is also sponsoring the Happy Hammers Queen and Berries Queens, local netball teams.
• In exchange for the sponsorship, the teams help with the tree planting and maintenance of the seedlings and also help with the any firefighting if fires occur.
• Involving local community groups to help with the maintenance and upkeep of the seedlings, as well as the creation of firebreaks for the seedlings’ protection through a “money for survival rate” payment scheme.
• The water catchment conservation corridors that TREEZ has been planting have a significant representation of fruit trees, this is for the local communities to have a source of nutrition and income from the forest
