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Pitch

Fighting Climate Change and Wildlife Extinction With One Of The Largest BIO Carbon Capture Projects In The World.


Description

Summary

Deforestation is directly responsible for about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the carbon released when forests are burned, deforestation cripples the planet’s capacity to filter harmful CO2 from our air, which compounds the greenhouse effect, global warming and climate change.

If all carbon emissions stopped today, our climate problems will continue to intensify because of existing carbon levels in the atmosphere. Of course, energy conservation and renewable energy are paramount, but we need carbon capture strategies to help restore balance to the atmosphere and ecosystems around the world.

Reforestation is one of the few proven carbon capture solutions available today. As such, we have one of the largest carbon capture opportunities in the world and it’s ready to begin immediately.

As you will see, we have an opportunity to turn the tide on an enormous scale in East Africa right now. Our local partners and stakeholders are ready to conserve and reforest more than 1.28 BILLION acres just in Tanzania.

With the help of district forestry departments, regional NGOs and community leaders across the nation, we will reforest 427 million acres with at least 100 million new trees. The reforestation effort alone will capture more than 2.5 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere every year.

We also will conserve another 200 million acres of existing forests, which already capture 250 million tons of CO2 per year. We can’t afford to lose these forests for many reasons.

We also have plans for smaller projects in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, which will plant millions of additional trees, protect wildlife and more.

It’s one of the largest carbon-capture opportunities available today. It also helps defend several critical ecosystems, endangered species and endangered communities in the region. 

For more information about our East Africa Plan, please visit www.SacredSeedlings.com We hope to expand to Asia and Latin America soon.


What actions do you propose?

To help reverse the negative deforestation trend in East Africa, we are collaborating with:

  • Regional NGOs
  • Government leaders (including district forestry officials) 
  • Community leaders and others

 

to implement several comprehensive and integrated projects to assure sustainability in the region, while helping the entire world fight carbon buildup in the atmosphere. We’re working with experts in forestry, sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, wildlife conservation and other stakeholders across East Africa to promote sustainability and economic development simultaneously.

Mt. Kilimanjaro Project: An integrated reforestation, conservation and community education program. The Mellowswan Foundation Africa-Tanzania will start three large greenhouses (higher elevation) and nurseries. Land has already been donated to the project in Rombo district by the Rongai forest plantation authority. Rombo District Council has offered another nursery site. Both nursery sites are on the borders of Kilimanjaro National Park. Mountain climbers who take the Kinapa route will walk by one of the nurseries. The Moshi Municipal Council offered a third nursery plot for urban reforestation.

Unlike past reforestation efforts in the region, we will focus on local needs and long-term sustainability of the new trees. Despite clear evidence that most villagers know what species they want, most foresters in the past ignored those preferences. For example, the Maasai are a unique pastoral group. They keep large numbers of livestock in a harsh environment to meet family subsistence needs. As they have explained, they need tree species that are suitable for their herds. When they are given eucalyptus trees, they aren’t even planted. 

This economic development program has been approved by The United Republic of Tanzania. The plan includes:

  • 426,889,704 hectares across all six regions and 55 districts.
  • 81,986,475 hectares for conservation of existing forests.

 

We will work with government leaders and Village Natural Resources Committees (VNRC) to teach them about their responsibilities in all districts and regions and empower them to be effective. We will train them on the latest provisions and policies of the:

  • Forest Act
  • Environmental Act
  • Land Act
  • Wildlife Act and
  • Water Act

 

We also will collect and distribute best practices from the VNRCs and other local and district leaders to share experience and knowledge for maximum impact.

The project also will include:

  • aquaculture
  • beekeeping
  • agro-forestry
  • ecotourism
  • conferences
  • training
  • awards
  • community education

 

It also will promote strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, including safekeeping livestock from predators and safeguarding crops from elephants. We also will develop several community centers that can be used for trainings, community events and tourism support.

As appropriate for each area and community, we will plant:

  • timber trees
  • indigenous trees
  • trees to attract rainfall
  • trees that conserve groundwater tables
  • fruit
  • commercial fruits such as clove, cocoa, palm, baobab, mango, guavas, avocados, etc. 

 

We also will promote urban forestry as possible. In urban environments, street kids can harvest fruits for income and survival. 

Tanzania is rich in National Parks and Game Reserves. Conflict between cattle keepers and wildlife is a threat to survival of man and beast. We will work with local farmers and herding tribes to develop ways to minimize such conflicts, including bee hives, chile peppers and others.

Our project also will include some water management strategies. The domestic animals are roaming into national parks searching for food and water. In some cases, we must dig water troughs for domestic animals to help protect wild animals from disease. In other places, we must drill wells for watering the nursery trees, but the right species can survive in these harsh environments once reestablished.

We will construct a training center where we will have conference halls and a hostel for visitors. This will help the sustainability of Mellowswan Foundation Africa and its ability to care for the deformed orphans. We also can rent out the conference hall to community members.

Plus, we are exploring the possibility of introducing biogas plants for those who keep animals and introducing “bio-latrines” for villagers. We also will pilot test the use of solar ovens by rural villagers to see if such technology can fit into local lifestyles and reduce deforestation for fuel wood.

We will build greenhouses to accelerate the growth cycle of our trees and replanting capacity. We will staff them throughout the year to maximize production. We will publicize the program locally at airports, hotels, national parks and game reserves so that visitors can visit and/or support the reforestation project. We will urge volunteers from around the world to come work side-by-side with us for eco-holidays and internships.

We plan to work more cooperatively to promote wildlife tourism aggressively across the region and around the world. 

Our goal is to provide education and help indigenous people understand the importance of forests and all wildlife. We will provide information about the ecosystem and how environmental factors are influenced by negative human activities, including deforestation and wildlife poaching. Presently, wildlife traffickers can hire locals to poach elephants for just a few dollars. The tusks and horns are then smuggled to China, Vietnam, Thailand and other nations where they are worth billions on the black market. It will take several strategies to shut down this deadly supply and demand, but sustainable economic development in Africa can help address the problem, while providing a platform for more productive community engagement. 

The District Directors and Forest officers across Tanzania are very happy with this overall plan and have offered to help in multiple ways. 

 

Mt. Kenya Project: An integrated reforestation, conservation and community education campaign. The Megabridge Foundation is committed to reforesting Kenya. To help reverse the negative deforestation trend in our area – including the areas adjacent to Mt. Kenya forest) we are taking concrete, well planned and systematic action with massive community education to plant new trees, while conserving existing forests.

We will establish several tree nurseries and plant at least one million indigenous and agroforestry seedlings each year. The Foundation and its partners will train locals about agroforestry techniques and deforestation, while motivating them to help with reforestation. With adequate funding, we will include provinces in the Rift Valley, Eastern, Central, Western, Nyanza and coastal provinces.

Our goal is to help the indigenous communities understand the importance of forests and local wildlife. We will explain how our ecosystems are influenced by negative human activities. The communities can help end deforestation, while learning to become more resilient in the face of climate change. By planting trees, Kenya’s forests can recover somewhat. Farmers can contribute by applying sustainable agro-forestry techniques. Community members also will become informed stakeholders and empowered stewards who can help promote sustainable communities and wildlife conservation. In addition, to combat the illegal killing of elephants and other wild animals, we also are conducting a community-based Elephant Conservation Project. This is a mobile film program in schools and communities.

 

Tsavo East National Park Project: Reforestation, wildlife conservation, anti-poaching patrols, sustainable agriculture, community education and more by YouthLink Kenya and many others. Tsavo East is one of the most ecologically important regions of the world. It’s the largest protected area in Kenya. It occupies about four percent of the country’s landmass and has the highest number of Kenya’s estimated 35,000 elephants. Tsavo East is the best place in the world to see the great tuskers—bull elephants with enormous ivory. These magnificent animals represent an important gene pool, but they also represent a valuable economic asset to Kenya because of wildlife tourism.

Youth Link Kenya (YLK) will plant 3.5 million indigenous trees. They will utilize community participation to establish tree nurseries and plant trees during the rainy seasons. The project will also support community-based anti-poaching operations and informer networks to encourage community support for wildlife conservation.

YLK will host a Summit to guide the effective conservation of the Tsavo Conservation Area Ecosystem. A Wild-Farm Alliance for Tsavo will be established after the Summit as a coalition for landowners and ecological farming advocates. The coalition’s main role will be to promote sustainable agriculture in Tsavo rangelands to help protect and restore nature.

We also will promote the use of bees as a natural deterrent for crop-raiding elephants, especially in the six main conflict areas. Elephants in the Tsavo East are not confined to the park. Therefore, conflict between local farmers and hungry elephants is common.

Wetlands within Tsavo East, which support up to 50,000 local people, will be restored. Plus, the ecological integrity of Tsavo East will be maintained by linking the protected area through forested corridors for the migration of wildlife. More than 30,000 students, community forests keepers, loggers, farmers associations, landowners, ranchers and community residents will participate in wildlife conservation and habitat restoration. One of the major outcomes of this project will be conservation of the rangelands–more than 15,000 hectares outside the protected National Park. 

 

Multinational Reforestation and Community Education Project: Earth Keepers Centre Kenya plans an integrated reforestation, conservation and community education campaign. The Smart by Nature: Nurseries of Excellence Project (SNNOE) will conduct tree planting and education involving schools and colleges. The SNNOE Project will spread its cost-effective plans by establishing several nurseries in the region to serve local communities. Earth Keepers Centre of Kenya will start 100 small, local nurseries and plant two million trees per year. We can spread the project to Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. 

 

School-Based Reforestation Project: This project will be implemented by 20 schools, including students, teachers and parents in Muleba District, Tanzania. The project will plant at least 720,000 trees (fruit trees and multi-purpose trees for firewood, poles and shade). We will plant two million trees over two years. Tree fruit production can improve the food security and living standards. On the global scale, considerable potential exists for Tanzania to increase fruit production for export markets.

The project will build the capacity of young farmers and students, to engage in or expand integrated fruit growing and agroforestry activities for improved food security and income generation. More than 10,000 people will benefit indirectly from the project through improved food security, nutrition and income generation.

Action for Ngono Basin Reforestation (ACT-NGONO) will conduct this project. It was formed in Muleba District-Tanzania in 2006 to protect the environment, while advancing health, education and economic growth. The organization has been involved in community-based projects including, beekeeping, tree nursery development, youth, women and community based environmental education.


Who will take these actions?

The Mellowswan Foundation Africa-Tanzania and Sacred Seedlings are collaborating with:

  • The United Republic of Tanzania
  • District Councils across Tanzania
  • District Forestry Departments throughout Tanzania
  • District Beekeeping Departments across Tanzania
  • Youth Link Kenya
  • Earth Keepers Centre Kenya
  • Megabridge Foundation Kenya
  • Action for Ngono Basin Reforestation (Tanzania)

 

The District Executive Director, Forestry Officer, Beekeeping Officer and Community Development Officers of the respective divisions will be involved throughout the project. Mellowswan Foundation Africa will gather additional assistance as necessary from district and regional NGO networks.

Mellowswan Foundation Africa is registered in Tanzania, with entitled certificate of incorporation ID. No.84760 on 21st, July 2011, under BRELA at Dar es salaam Tanzania. The parties to this proposal have been at the frontline of environmental conservation in each District for many years.


Where will these actions be taken?


Mt. Kilimanjaro Project: This national economic development, reforestation and conservation program includes 426,889,704 hectares across all six regions and 55 districts of Tanzania. The forest conservation area of 82 million hectares is still being defined. Land for one nursery has been donated to the project in Rombo district by the Rongai forest plantation authority. Rombo District Council has offered another nursery site, both of which are on the borders of Kilimanjaro National Park. Mountain climbers who take the Kinapa route will walk by one nursery. The Moshi Municipal Council offered a third nursery plot for urban reforestation. A significant amount of the work will be concentrated on degraded lands around Kilimanjaro, Rombo, SIHA and Myeba Districts.

Mt. Kenya Project: To help areas adjacent to Mt. Kenya forest. This project also will include provinces in the Rift Valley, Eastern, Central, Western, Nyanza and coastal provinces.

Tsavo East National Park, Kenya: Tsavo East is one of the most ecologically important regions of the world. It’s the largest protected area in Kenya. Youth Link Kenya (YLK) will plant 3.5 million indigenous trees in the area. The project will also support community-based anti-poaching operations and informer networks to encourage community support for wildlife conservation. Wetlands within Tsavo East, which support up to 50,000 local people, will be restored. Plus, the ecological integrity of Tsavo East will be maintained by linking the protected area through forested corridors for the migration of wildlife. We also will help conserve more than 15,000 hectares outside the protected National Park.

Multinational Reforestation and Community Education Project: Earth Keepers Centre of Kenya will start 100 small, local nurseries and plant two million trees per year in and around communities. We can spread the project to Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

School-Based Reforestation Project: Muleba,Tanzania


How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?

The reforestation effort of 100 million trees will help us capture 2.5 million tons of CO2 per year if all trees survive. We are striving for at least a 90 percent success rate with the help of local communities who will serve as caretakers and stewards. We also will employ a rock mulch overcoat to shade the base of trees from the sun and to help them collect and hold rainwater.

The forest conservation side of the project will include 86 million hectares of existing forests. Until we verify the tree density, it's difficult to estimate the amount of sequestration, but it could be as much as 250 million tons per year. It's obviously a carbon sink that we can't afford to lose.

As we educate and motivate villagers and community members to stop cutting down trees for firewood, the impacts will stack up even more, but estimates are impossible to make, yet.


What are other key benefits?

- Fight poverty by creating local jobs and sustainable income alternatives.

- Promote biodiversity and the conservation of endangered species.

- Defend a fragile ecosystem that supports more than 100 million people.

- Minimize human/wildlife conflict.

- Promote sustainable watershed management.

- Create an international showcase that can be replicated around the world.

- Promote sustainable communities and help save endangered cultures,

- Promote sustainable agriculture.

- Stakeholder engagement, education and support.


What are the proposal’s costs?

Phase I of this project is purely a reforestation and community engagement initiative. It will cost $1.2 million to start three green houses at higher elevations, coordinate the plantings and caretaking of 10 million trees, and conduct community seminars across three districts.  

Phase II will reforest more of Tanzania with 100 million trees, promote beekeeping, aquaculture, community engagement and conserve 86 million hectares of existing forest. 

Phase III expands the projects across East Africa with millions of additional trees per year.

The total cost for all three phases is $538 million. The revenue potential from carbon markets alone could surpass that amount in just one year.

These steps will make the ecosystems and communities more resilient and more efficient. These projects are large enough to help us make a dent in global carbon buildup in the atmosphere. If we can help blunt even one global drought, flood or other form of extreme weather, the value to people around the world will dwarf the investment necessary to bring these projects to life.


Time line

All projects are ready to begin immediately.

The forest conservation element can be completely finalized quickly.

All other activities will be complete within two years, except for the "Save Kilimanjaro" project. It will take five years to finalize the reforestation of 100 million trees. All other aspects of that program will be complete and/or implemented within three years.


Related proposals

Several of our peers have proposals that are complementary to ours and we would be honored to include them in the Sacred Seedlings family. Our goal is to help our local partners around the world fund plans that will reduce deforestation, promote reforestation, promote sustainable income for locals and communities, and defend endangered species and all wildlife. The related proposals that appear to be the best fits for our model are:

  • Synergies Of Reforestation & Community Empowerment In Kenya (Kijani)
  • Analog Forestry: Productive Conservation To Fight Deforestation.
  • Red Tree Program: Using Ecosystem Services To Grow Sustainable Communities. 
  • Eyes Of Virunga: From Poacher To Protector.


References

For much more detail about our "East Africa Plan," please visit: http://sacredseedlings.com/east-africa-projects/