PNO partnership with WeForest in Zambia goes beyond tree planting

Also thanks to PNO and other companies’ support, We Forest continuously contributes not only to restore the forest in Zambia, but also to embark local communities into a long-term journey towards environmental sustainability.

Since 2018, we have been partnering up with We Forest to plant trees in the Luanshya district of the Zambian Copperbelt. Our donations are made on a regular basis to fully offset unavoidable business flights, as well as part of PNO Norway’s “1 trailer=1 tree” initiative and as a Christmas gift to PNO employees and customers.

In the Zambia Luanshya district, WeForest works with hundreds of small-scale farmers. Landscape transformation, biodiversity conservation, carbon sink and community engagement are the main goals of the project.

In the Copperbelt province more than anywhere else in Zambia, the original forest suffered from mining and charcoal production. Local farmers continuously join We Forest’s initiative to learn how to restore and protect their farms’ tree. They are also provided with training and tools to develop new sources of income, so that trees do not need to be cut anymore. As a result, they receive a higher income, diversify their economic activities and learn new skills. The project also links farmers to local private sector companies to ensure their products – i.e. honey – get sold.

Local farmers in Zambia Luanshya district. Source: We Forest.

Up to now, We Forest has been planting 2,395,830 trees in Zambia Luanshya, equal to approximately 2.000 hectares restored. 290,000 tons of CO2 are absorbed as the trees grow (equal to the annual footprint of about 30.000 Europeans).

To learn more about PNO contribution in Zambia, please visit our We Forest profile.