The Zambezi Valley Biodiversity Project (ZVBP)

Forestry Commission is currently implementing some components of the project on ‘’Strengthening Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management and Climate-Smart Landscapes in the mid to lower Zambezi Region of Zimbabwe’’ referred to as the Zambezi Valley Biodiversity Project (ZVBP) in selected wards of Hurungwe, Mbire and Muzarabani districts.

 The objective of the project is to promote an integrated landscape approach to managing wildlife resources, carbon and ecosystem services in the face of climate change in the protected areas and community lands of this area.  

The objectives of this project are to restore degraded forests and improve forest management in the area with the vision to increase area under sustainable forest management and boost the area’s ability to sequester carbon dioxide. The project supports development of Integrated Landscape Management Plans (ILMPs) which are important tools to facilitate both sustainable district development and sustainable use of natural resources including forests and woodlands. This will result in demarcating forest areas and plan for their protection and sustainable utilisation.  The project supports community-based forest restoration initiatives including afforestation using seedlings produced in the nurseries established by the project. The ZVBP is also strengthening capacity and governance frameworks for woodland management and forest crime enforcement in the project area to enhance sustainable forest management.

The project also seeks to provide alternative energy sources to indigenous trees by establishing firewood plantations as this will reduce pressure on the existing woodlands/forests being caused by tree cutting for firewood for tobacco curing among other causes.

Indigenous trees raised for forest restoration

Firewood for tobacco curing in Muzarabani- The project seeks to reduce unsustainable harvesting of the tree resources by improving law enforcement and providing alternatives