Catalyzing Forest and Landscape Rehabilitation for Climate Resilience and Biodiversity Conservation in East Africa

The aim of the project was to support the restoration of forest ecosystems and natural landscapes in Kenya and Ethiopia. These ecosystems and landscapes constitute both an important carbon sink and a key foundation for the livelihoods of the local people. Maps were developed at national and local level in order to identify areas with a high potential for landscape restoration and to serve as a basis for planning activities by policy-makers. In addition, the project pilots landscape restoration activities have been carried out in demonstration projects. During the planning of these activities, attention was paid to important co-benefits like the conservation of biological diversity, provision of heating materials and animal feed, water regulation and carbon sequestration and storage. Furthermore, the project partners were assessing innovative investment models that enabled the measures to be implemented over the long-term and be transferred to additional areas.

Project data

Countries: Ethiopia, Kenya
IKI funding: 1,419,528.59 €
Duration: 02/2014 till 03/2017
Status: completed
Implementing organisation: Clinton Foundation - Clinton Climate Initiative
Political Partner: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MEFCC) – Ethiopia*

Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (MEW&NR) - Kenya*
Implementing Partner: The Green Belt Movement (GBM) - Kenya

World Resources Institute (WRI)
Online: https://www.clintonfoundation.org/our-work/clinton-climate-initiative/programs/forestry-program

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State of implementation/results

Project completed
For the creation of the interactive maps as a planning tool for forest and landscape restoration, data has been collected with the Ethiopian and Kenyan partners, technical working groups have been formed and a common approach defined (e.g., criteria, area categories). The maps developed on this basis and the determined land potentials for forest restoration are based on the needs of the partners who use them for planning processes and the achievement of their afforestation goals. For this purpose, decision makers and members of relevant authorities and organizations have been trained in their use for the national and subnational planning of forest and land restoration.
For the demonstration projects, two areas in the two countries were selected according to given criteria (i.a. community interest, restoration potential, support to local authorities, existing and potential capacities) and forest restoration measures exemplified. These included participatory land use planning, the establishment of nurseries, tree plantations for forest restoration and on land of small farmers (landscape restoration) and success monitoring by the communities. In total, 848,900 tree seedlings were planted by farmers in both countries. Training with community members on sustainable land use and development of alternative sources of income (eg beekeeping) and two exchange visits between Ethiopia and Kenya also took place.
A regional workshop in Addis Ababa with participants from seven African countries as well as German representation (BMU, BMZ, GIZ) helped disseminate the project results. The project experiences have been documented by the Clinton Climate Initiative along with recommendations for similar projects.

20 community-operated nurseries established
112,331 seedlings planted in the pilot areas and on the land by smallholders
trained over 600 community members on various topics (including forest restoration, sustainable land use, adaptation to climate change)
130 small farmers in the implementation of participatory land use planning and -Mapping supported
afforestation indirectly improves ecosystem services (such as increased water availability) for more than 90,000 people in Kipipiri, Nairobi and Naivasha regions
created 130 home gardens
95 farmers have organized themselves into five groups and run nurseries for the purpose of income supplementation
Collaboration of 10 organizations within a forest recovery workgroup whose participants were trained by the Kenya Forestry Service to map restoration options

725,900 tree seedlings planted for forest and landscape restoration with a survival rate of 55% (402,115)
4,500 mango and avocado trees on land planted by small farmers
122 ha fenced for landscape restoration
600 community members trained in measures to protect the soil and water, as well as improved management of water catchment areas
125 people trained in beekeeping as an additional source of income; 200 farmers equipped with beehives
50 smallholders trained in the development of tourism activities and the marketing of natural products

Latest Update:
03/2025