James Manyungwa

From 4th August to 15th August 2008, the project team organised ten meetings with traditional leaders and local communities in twenty-four villages surrounding Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve. The meetings were patronised by group village headmen Mabuka, Nkumba and other influential leaders from various government departs (see photo). The aim of the meetings was to sensitise traditional leaders, local communities and other stakeholders about the project and the objectives of the project. Traditional leaders, government officials and local communities who attended the meetings assured the project team of their support towards the implementation of the project.

Environmental education and awareness was also conducted in twenty villages surrounding MMFR in order to impart knowledge on local communities and traditional leaders so that they should fully understand and appreciate the importance of nature and why it is important to take a leading role in nature conservation in the area. These activities were marked by drama, traditional dances and public lectures.

The project team from 10-19 September 2008 and 13-22 October 2008 held series of meetings with traditional chiefs (see photo), indigenous people, local communities and stakeholders in 20 villages around the MMFR. About 4,600 people participated in the meetings. The aim of the meetings was to discuss with different community groups about the usefulness of forming active working groups to take leading roles in cultivation of the Mulanje cedar and natural resources conservation in and around the MMFR.

About 95% of all people who participated in the meetings supported the idea of forming working groups to look into environmental issues which affect the conservation of natural resources in MMFR and their lives. The next step will be facilitating the formation of the working groups, electing office and start training their members on tree nursery establishment and management.

The project team is pleased to report that following the series of meetings that were undertaken in 20 villages surrounding Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve (MMFR) in the months of November and December 2008, 15 village natural resource management committees (VNRMCs) have been formed in the project area. Each committee has about 30 members and 60% of these members are women. In total, there are about 450 active members who have committed themselves to preserve biodiversity in and around MMFR.

To date, almost all members have acquired new knowledge and skills in tree nursery bed establishment, seed collection and propagation, seedling management, land preparation, pitting and replanting through short training courses that the project team had conducted for them (See photo). It is believed that the new knowledge and skills acquired will go a long way in promoting nature conservation as having the right knowledge is a fundamental key to success.

Ten short training courses were conducted on opportunities and promotion of forest-based enterprises to 434 members of Village Natural Resource Management Committees. (i.e. from January to March 2009). These people were drawn from 20 villages surrounding Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve (MMFR). They were trained in bee-keeping, indigenous fruit harvesting and processing, cane furniture and fire briquette production and guinea fowl rearing. Among the 434 communities trained, there were 18 village headmen and 58% were women. These people will serve as trainer of trainers in their respective areas.

Promotion of income generating activities in the project area has significantly helped communities to see the reason why they should manage indigenous forest resources in MMFR and other areas so as to continue deriving benefits from forest resources.

The project team is pleased to report that 5 short training courses and 5 sensitization meetings on the impact of bush fires and how to contain it were conducted with 387 villagers (65% men and 35% women) who live around Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve from June-July 2009.

Amongst other things, participants were trained on how they could effectively contain bush fires through construction of fire breaks, removing dead wood from the forest and setting up a toll-free mobile phone whereby communities can directly phone the Forestry & Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust staff and the police to report any incidences of bush fires that may occur in the forest reserve, including reporting the culprits to the police station for prosecution.

Read about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final report below.