Communities engaged to conserve mount Mulanje

MALAWI: In an effort to save Cedar trees that were on the verge of extinction at Mount Mulanje Biosphere Reserve, the Nnesa Community in Mulanje District has increased plantation of the valuable trees in order to restore forests and improve livelihoods.

The development was brought to the community through the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust's "Save Our Cedar" project for communities surrounding Mulanje Mountain after learning that Cedar trees and other valuable parts of the biosphere reserve were on the verge of extinction.

According to Fanious Kholomana, chairperson of the Muonekela club at Nnesa Community, the Cedar plantation project has been in operation since 2012, and this year, twelve thousand cedar (12000) trees have been planted at Mulanje Mountain with support from the Save our Cedar project, which is currently underway.

Kholomana  said: " Since the start of this Cedar restoration project, we have been planting trees at Mulanje Mountain annually and we always ensure that we take care of the seedlings from nursery stage, plantation as well as caring for the areas where cedar has been planted.”

Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust Environmental Education Communication Officer Kondwani Chamwala, for his part, stated that the Save Our Cedar Project is registering success stories, with communities showing interest in planting more trees at Mulanje Mountain and in the communities where they live.

"We work with community leaders and environmental conservation clubs, supporting them with Cedar seedlings on yearly basis to ensure that there is participation and commitment towards protection and restoration of natural resources at Mulanje Mountain biosphere reserve," Chamwala said.

Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust is bringing the Save Our Cedar project to Phalombe and Mulanje communities, planting cedar hedges in communities and on the mountain to restore forests.

The only tree found at Mulanje Mountain biosphere reserve, the cedar tree, was declared a national tree by the country's first president, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, in 1984.