The Foundation for Environmental Education awarded the internationally-recognised Green Flag award to 13 rural schools, in 2023. All of the schools have completed the seven steps programme required for the award. There are now 48 schools that have been awarded the Green Flag, in Tanzania. Another 100 schools are working towards the award, with TFCG support. TFCG is the eco-school partner for Tanzania.
TFCG is committed to finding solutions that combine forest conservation with improving rural livelihoods. Promoting more sustainable agriculture is one of the greatest challenges in conserving tropical forests. Critical for rural livelihoods, agriculture is also the main driver of tropical deforestation. With new funding from the REDAA programme, TFCG will explore ways to integrate community-based forest management with long-fallow swidden agriculture, in southern Tanzania. The Long Fallows project begins in March 2024 and will be implemented in partnership with the University of Leeds and MJUMITA. Read more about the REDAA programme at: www.redaa.org.
Mr Charles K. Meshack, Executive Director of the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG) has received the French Republic’s Human Rights Prize “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity 2020” for TFCG’s work on community-based forest management in Tanzania.
The prestigious prize is awarded annually to organisations or individuals who have made a significant contribution to human rights. TFCG won the prize under the theme ‘Defense of environment and biodiversity’.
TFCG has supported over 115 communities to establish village land forest reserves, and has been a vocal advocate for communities’ right to manage and benefit from their forests and woodlands. TFCG has also been at the forefront of efforts to conserve the Eastern Arc Mountain and Coastal Forests biodiversity hotspots.
The French Ambassador, His Excellency Frédéric Clavier, awarded the prize at a special ceremony held at the Alliance Francaise in Dar es Salaam on 10th December 2020.
Charles Meshack receiving the French Republic’s Human Rights Prize 2020 (second from left) with Revocatus Njau (left), MJUMITA Chairperson, the Honourable Tulia Ackson, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania (2nd from right) and French Ambassador H.E. Frédéric Clavier (right)
The forests of Tanga Region have exceptional biodiversity but are highly threatened by agriculture. In December 2023, TFCG launched two projects conserving forests in Tanga’s East Usambara and Nguu Mountains, and in the Coastal Forests. The projects will support communities to protect forests on their land while also strengthening communities’ resilience to climate change.
In 2023, TFCG assisted 8 villages to establish new village forest reserves in the Eastern Arc Mountain and Coastal Forests. The reserves bring 19,000 ha of threatened forest and woodland under sustainable, community-led management.
TFCG have also supported 24 villages, already practicing community-based forest management, to earn ~ US$ 200,000 from sustainable forest-based enterprises, in 2023.