The “International Forest Day” celebration in Zambezia, north of Mozambique, gathered provincial and local authorities, environmental stakeholders, communities and CSOs to reaffirm together the commitment in preserving local forest resources. On the 20th and 21st of March 2018, in the Buffer Zone of the Gilé National Reserve, COSV was invited to attend the events as an acknowledgement of our constant commitment and outputs achieved for environment protection.
COSV efforts in the Province of Zambezia aim to the socio-economic development of the communities, through biodiversity protection and sustainable use of the natural resources, in particular the forest. The forest represents a considerable social and economic potential for local populations, undermined by the unsustainable exploitation and the human pressure. Moreover, the forest expresses a cultural heritage made of practices and knowledges that are likely to disappear, threatened by the progressive and constant deforestation.
We then believe that it’s not only a matter of preserving, but also by enhancing the forest environment we can create the basis for local development in Zambezia.
As part of the project “Strengthening sustainability and biodiversity of National Reserve of Gilé” financed by the European Union, we introduced a reforestation system within 14 communities in the buffer zone of the Gilé National Reserve (GNR), based on the creation of nurseries for the transplantation of local tree species in deforested areas. Moreover, we organized environmental education activities through the Club do Ambiente campaign, promoted in thirty schools of the region. Together with the students, we foster the reforestation of community fields affected by uncontrolled fires.
The “International Forest Day” Celebrations started in the community of Nipamo, with an event as part of an integrated environmental education program developed in collaboration with the Gilé National Reserve. The second day was dedicated to Institutions, with the presence of the Director of the Rural Development and Environmental Department of Zambezia, and the Administrators of several districts and departments of the province together with the local authorities.
The whole event, promoted by the local NGO RADEZA and sponsored by WWF, attracted people, groups and associations from all over the region, to celebrate the International Day with shows and folk dances. At the end of the ceremony, authorities and journalists visited the community center and the production facilities built by COSV in the nearby locality of Mutacane.
With the support of
