By Our Reporter – Kaliua
The Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) in Kaliua District, Tabora Region, is targeting to raise one million tree seedlings to support the restoration of degraded forests in the Western Zone.
The seedlings are being produced at a TFS nursery established in September 2026 under the Miombo Collaborative Forest Management Project (DSL-IP), which is fully funding six nurseries expected to produce a combined 4.7 million seedlings.
Speaking on Thursday, October 1, 2026, the project’s National Coordinator, Dr Zainabu Shabani Bungwa, said the seedlings would be used to restore village forest reserves within and around project areas, as well as establish woodlots in schools, hospitals, prisons and villages.
She said the initiative would also increase access to quality tree seedlings while expanding the participation of women and young people in conservation and reducing pressure on natural forests through sustainable production and use of forest resources.
TFS Kaliua Forest Conservator, SCO Sadock Gobanya, said the nursery had the capacity to produce more than one million seedlings and was currently at the stage of filling planting tubes and sowing seeds.
He said the seedlings were expected to be ready for distribution to villages, institutions and individual residents between December 2026 and March 2027.
Species being raised include mkongo, white teak, mkangazi, mgunga, eucalyptus, mvinje, muembe and mlusina, alongside various fruit trees.
Kaliua has been prioritised because of pressure on forests from tree cutting and charcoal production. The project expects the establishment of woodlots to provide alternative sources of wood and help reduce pressure on forest reserves.
Residents are also participating in nursery activities, including preparing and transporting soil, sand and manure, filling planting tubes, sowing seeds and watering the seedlings.
They are expected to take part in distributing and planting the seedlings once they are ready.