Projects

Ntakata Mountains Project, Tanzania

REDD+

Avoidance
SPOT

Theory of change

In western Tanzania, the Ntakata Mountains Project protects 216,944 hectares of threatened community-owned miombo woodland by implementing a REDD-based natural climate solution. In a country where 1–2% of forests are lost each year, largely due to economic necessity, the project combats deforestation by making standing forests more valuable in the long term than if they were cleared.

By preventing the loss of over 1.2 million trees each year, the project avoids around 550,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, while safeguarding vital ecosystem services on which local farming communities depend, including water regulation, soil fertility, and climate resilience. The protected forests also conserve high-quality habitats for endangered species such as the eastern chimpanzee.

The revenue of carbon credits generated through avoided deforestation is reinvested directly into forest protection, community employment and local development. By combining community-led forest governance, climate finance and biodiversity conservation, the Ntakata Mountains Project creates a self-reinforcing model where healthy forests, stable livelihoods and climate mitigation outcomes are mutually sustained over the long term.

Climate change mitigation

Deforestation accounts for around 70% of Tanzania’s national carbon dioxide emissions. The Ntakata Mountains Project addresses this issue head on by preventing deforestation of community-owned forest. By avoiding deforestation, the project prevents around 550,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year, while enabling forests to continue sequestering carbon.

Beyond its global climate impact, the project delivers local benefits by linking forest protection with livelihoods. Revenues from carbon credits support community-led conservation, job creation and sustainable development, showing how forest conservation, one of the most cost-effective solutions for mitigating climate change, can generate tangible climate, social and economic benefits while reversing Tanzania’s ongoing forest loss.

Tropical forest conservation
Protecting endangered species
Creating sustainable income streams

At a glance

The Ntakata Mountains Project protects 216,994 hectares of miombo woodland in the Greater Mahale Ecosystem in western Tanzania, utilising community-led Village Land Forest Reserves. The project collaborates with farming communities of the Bende, Tongwe and Ha peoples, who have long stewarded the forests surrounding their villages and regard key tree species, such as the Mkuyu tree and the strangler fig, as sacred. By conserving these forests and their stored carbon, the project generates high-quality carbon credits, the revenue from which is reinvested directly into local communities. This approach safeguards essential ecosystem services for farming, such as water catchment and soil health, while creating lasting incentives to protect the forests for future generations.

216,944 ha of forest protected

Impact areas

The establishment of Village Land Forest Reserves (VLFRs) has bolstered community land rights and established a legal framework to safeguard forests against external pressures, such as agricultural expansion driven by migration. By securing tenure over their forests, communities are better equipped to respond to environmental, social, and economic challenges. Participatory land-use planning, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and community-led decision-making have improved governance, reduced conflict and increased long-term resilience.

Carbon revenues generated through forest conservation are reinvested directly into local communities, creating sustainable and diverse income opportunities. One key mechanism is the Community Conservation Banking (Cocoba) initiative, which provides small loans to support businesses aligned with conservation. In 2023, 32 Cocobas supported over 500 members and facilitated the creation of 189 women-owned enterprises. This approach reduces dependence on deforestation while strengthening local economic self-sufficiency.

The project creates employment by training and engaging Village Game Scouts and Carbon Champions. These individuals monitor forests, reduce threats and raise community awareness of conservation and climate change. Carbon revenues also support social infrastructure, including education and healthcare, by funding the construction of classrooms, teachers’ housing, dispensaries, and community health insurance schemes. A strong focus on gender inclusion ensures that women benefit equally from employment opportunities, leadership roles and access to finance, thereby strengthening social cohesion and long-term adaptability.

A community-led project

The Ntakata Mountains Project is a community-led forest conservation initiative in western Tanzania protecting over 216,000 hectares of miombo woodland. The project prevents deforestation, conserves critical wildlife habitat and safeguards essential ecosystem services.

By protecting around 1.25 million trees each year, the project avoids approximately 550,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. Carbon revenues are reinvested into local communities, strengthening land rights, creating employment and supporting sustainable livelihoods.