Kaliua targets one million seedlings to restore forests

TABORA: KALIUA District in Tabora Region is targeting the production of one million tree seedlings to help restore degraded forests and reduce pressure on natural forest reserves caused by tree cutting and charcoal production.

The seedlings are being raised at a Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) nursery established in September 2026 under the Miombo Collaborative Forest Management Project (DSL-IP), which is funding six nurseries that are expected to produce a combined 4.7 million seedlings.

The project’s National Coordinator, Dr Zainabu Bungwa, said the seedlings would be used to restore village forest reserves in and around project areas and establish woodlots in schools, hospitals, prisons and villages.

She said the initiative would also improve access to quality seedlings and increase the participation of women and young people in forest conservation.

TFS Kaliua Forest Conservator, Mr Sadock Gobanya said the nursery had the capacity to produce more than one million seedlings and was currently filling planting tubes and sowing seeds.

He said the seedlings were expected to be ready for distribution to villages, institutions and individual residents between December 2026 and March 2027.

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“The nursery is raising a variety of tree species, including Mkongo (Afzelia), White teak, Mkangazi (East African mahogany), Mgunga (Acacia), Eucalyptus, Mvinje (Pine) Muembe(Mango tree) and Mlusina, as well as various fruit tree species,” Mr Gobanya said.

Kaliua was prioritised for the initiative because of increasing pressure on its forests, particularly from tree cutting and charcoal production.

The project expects the establishment of woodlots to provide alternative sources of wood and reduce dependence on natural forest reserves.

Mr Gobanya said local residents were already participating in nursery activities, including preparing and transporting soil, sand and manure, filling planting tubes, sowing seeds and watering the seedlings.

He said residents would continue participating in the programme through the distribution and planting stages once the seedlings were ready.