Climate Resilience and Ecosystem Services

Climate change is a growing threat to Tanzania’s forests and those who depend on them. We integrate climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration into all aspects of our work—from reforestation and land rehabilitation to climate-smart agriculture and community-led disaster planning.

We were the first in Tanzania to pilot a REDD+ benefit-sharing model, distributing $460,000 to villagers across 27 communities. These funds have been reinvested into locally chosen priorities such as schools, clinics, and forest patrols, creating a cycle between conservation and community development.

Through participatory planning, we help integrate climate strategies into village land-use plans. We also support communities in accessing carbon markets and payment for ecosystem service schemes, creating new revenue streams while enhancing resilience. We have contributed to national climate frameworks and helped elevate community-based models in climate policy dialogues, to help scale the impact of community-led conservation with climate benefits.

Forest conservation is directly profitable for communities in 27 villages across Lindi, Kilosa, and Mpwapwa. Through Tanzania’s first REDD+ benefit-sharing model, households conserving forests directly received over $459,000, with an additional $152,000 funding community-selected projects like schools and clean water.

Rather than being passive beneficiaries, communities became proactive stewards—restoring degraded land, protecting biodiversity, and integrating climate-smart practices into village life. This transparent, equitable model became a national and international benchmark for conservation finance. As the climate crisis deepens, our REDD+ work is an example of communities being rewarded for protecting forests, and both people and nature thrive.