In Malawi, deforestation has led to the disappearance and significant decline of unique species like the Mulanje cedar tree and the Mulanje chameleon, found nowhere else in the world.

3.4 million hectares or a third of Malawi used to be covered with forests, currently, only 35% of the original forest cover remains, as rapid population growth has driven extensive clearance, particularly in the last decade.

To address this issue, the Mulanje programme aims to protect and restore over 7,500 hectares of forest, involving 13,500 families and communities.

The initiative focuses on community-led governance structures, income generation through beekeeping and fire management, and improved law enforcement. Additionally, efforts are being made to raise environmental awareness through a school tree planting program. The restoration project aims to reduce local fuelwood demand by promoting improved cookstoves, growing 2.7 million trees in agroforestry systems with families living near the forest reserve for a sustainable supply of fuelwood, improved natural resources such as soil and water, and increased incomes.