The ITF has existed for 80 years, educating people in the most deprived areas of the globe about the importance of trees while involving them in projects to ensure new and continued beneficial tree growth. They provide training to community members in  activities such as planting trees in nurseries; outplanting and protecting young trees; growing fodder crops for animals; restoring woodland under threat. They also teach people how to grow trees for medicine, building purposes (timber), beautification and amenity uses. Besides this, to the ITF educates children in schools on the beneficial role of trees and their importance for healthy living; they implement and maintain outreach programs; and teach and ensure the preservation of good land stewardship.

Richard Ince, a consultant with the ITF, contacted Temwa in autumn 2006 with the idea of setting up a community forestry project in Malawi. After meeting staff in both the UK and Malawi and a long process of consultation and proposal writing, the ITF agreed to fund the creation of a community-owned ‘demonstration and training nursery.'

Six volunteers were selected to be the custodians of the nursery. In September 2007 the volunteers completed a two day training course given by the Mkondezi Research Station. This included training in fruit production, step-by-step methods for constructing a tree nursery, and propagation of the trees. The construction of the nursery itself was also finished in September 2007.

Temwa are honoured to be working with the ITF and we hope that this budding project will lead to a long and healthy relationship between our two organisations.  

www.internationaltreefoundation.org