EF travelers have the extraordinary privilege of experiencing some of the world’s most beautiful places, from hiking trails in Bhutan to swimming with marine life in the Galapagos Islands.

Accessing these special places is something we do not take for granted. However, as the effects of the climate and biodiversity crises continue to affect ecosystems across the globe, we understand we have a duty of care for these places we explore.

From 2021 to 2023, EF partnered with the Eden Reforestation Projects to plant 9 million mangrove trees in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Kenya. In 2024, we entered a new partnership, supporting WeForest – in collaboration with Friends of Lake Tanganyika (FOLT) – to introduce a system of conservation that supports both nature and local farmers.

It's a system called: Agroforestry.

Corrie Mauldin, Agroforestry Advisor at WeForest, has long believed in the benefits of agroforestry to help tackle a range of environmental issues – from carbon capture to improved biodiversity – turning agriculture from an extractive process to one in harmony with nature.

EF is the exclusive sponsor for the project’s lifecycle from 2024 to 2029. We sat down with Corrie for a Q&A on how growing 3 million trees is supporting farmers, and why education is crucial to ensuring the benefits of the project endure for generations to come.

The local population is growing, with nearly 460,000 people now living in the Uvinza District, according to the 2022 census. This means forests are being cleared and fragmented, making way for agriculture and settlements to support the burgeoning population.

These challenges are intensified by unsustainable agricultural practices and harvesting of the forests. Farming on steep slopes and cultivating right up to the edge of water bodies results in soil erosion, degradation, and run-off. This means low-quality soil and sediment in the rivers, which The Nature Conservancy suggests has reduced fish stocks by 30% in recent years.

We also see pastoral farmers – who travel with their livestock – using slash and burn techniques to clear unprotected forests to allow for grazing.

All this puts pressure on the land, on nature, and ultimately impacts crops, fishing, and income.

Friends of Lake Tanganyika (FOLT) has been operating in the area for some time. It’s run by local people with a membership made up of local farmers. They had heard an increasing demand for a system to deal with all these challenges.

FOLT contacted WeForest to help develop a large agroforestry initiative in this part of western Tanzania, which would also support the education of local farmers and their families.

From 2024 to 2029, we will support 1,500 farmers through the project. Each will have one hectare (nearly 2.5 acres) featuring three different farming systems.

The largest is 1.5 acres of an agroforestry system. This is where the planting of trees supports the growth of a cash crop – such as maize – or livestock, which farmers can then sell.

Trees are planted around the crops, supporting agriculture by locking nutrients in the soil, creating food for livestock, attracting pollinators, stabilizing the soil, and much more. This all leads to increased crop and livestock production, so more income for farmers.

EF’s vital funding is helping secure this initiative for the years to come, but it is also supporting our Environmental Education Program. The purpose of this program is to support broader mindset and behavior shifts among community members who are not directly part of the agroforestry project, and to raise awareness of the project to support enrollment of more farmers.

We also want to engage women in the program, educating everyone locally about topics such as agroforestry, forest conservation, biodiversity, and climate change. This provides comprehensive support to these villages to ensure the long-term success of the project.

Our focus is on sustainable, long-term support for these communities and the nature that surrounds them. We’ve had great interest already from local farmers, and we’re excited to implement several activities with the first two farmer cohorts for 2025. All this is supported by our new team that is in place on the ground and formed of local staff.

After 2029, we hope FOLT has the full capacity to scale the project alongside the local community and strong support from Mahale Mountains National Park staff. By increasing FOLT’s capacity and empowering local farmers to support their families while restoring the land, we’re making sure the systems, knowledge, and benefits endure beyond 2029.

Furthermore, we want to make sure this ecologically rich landscape is protected, by contributing to the landscape-scale conservation of the Mahale Mountains.