Forest Protection

According to the World Bank, Zambia has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, losing an estimated 300,000 HA of forest every year. Zambia’s Forests Act of 2015 recognises forests as central to sustainable development, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. Even so, Zambia’s National Forest Reserves are facing an unprecedented threat from deforestation and forest degradation driven by agricultural expansion, heavy reliance on wood fuels including charcoal and firewood, unsustainable timber extraction and mining and other infrastructure development inside its boundaries.

North Swaka Trust works in partnership with the Forestry Department of Zambia and the local community to reduce illegal activity in the Forest Reserves. NST’s team of 24 forest scouts patrol hundreds of kilometers every day to support the Mkushi Forestry Department. Together we have reduced illegal activity in the Forest Reserves by 85%.