Fires have destroyed 70% of replanted trees in parts of Mozambique’s Tónduè Forest exposing serious gaps in forest protection and post planting monitoring.
Mozambique’s efforts to restore its declining forests are facing major setbacks as uncontrolled fires, inadequate monitoring and limited community support continue to threaten newly planted trees. In parts of the Tónduè Forest in Zambézia province, fires have destroyed around 70% of replanted trees, leaving many surviving saplings badly damaged and unable to grow properly.
Mozambique is among the 10 countries with the highest deforestation rates globally losing an estimated 267,000 hectares of forest every year. To address the crisis, the government set a target of restoring one million hectares by 2030. However, only around 58,000 hectares have been reforested so far, according to data compiled by forestry researcher Sá Nogueira Lisboa of Eduardo Mondlane University.
Zambézia, one of the country’s important forest regions, has suffered significant tree cover loss. Between 2000 and 2024, the province lost approximately 1.26 million hectares of forest, representing around 19% of its total forested area.
The Tónduè Forest, spread across more than 22 hectares of protected land, highlights the difficulties facing restoration projects. Fires reportedly broke out a year after trees were planted, destroying most of the saplings across a 10-hectare area. Three years later, some surviving trees remain only around 30 centimetres tall, with charred stems and damaged leaves.
According to local officials, fires are frequently caused by land clearing for farming and housing, as well as hunting activities. Residents also depend heavily on forests for firewood, charcoal, food and other essential resources, making conservation difficult amid widespread poverty and limited livelihood opportunities.
Monitoring is another major weakness. Forestry officials say replanted areas often receive just one inspection visit a year, far below the recommended frequency of once every three months until trees mature. Limited funding and a shortage of trained personnel have made regular supervision difficult.
In 2025, the government handed management of the Tónduè Forest to the local community in the hope that residents would protect the woodland more effectively. However, community leaders say they lack the resources, technical assistance and training needed to prevent fires and maintain the replanted areas.
Financial support has also failed to reach some intended beneficiaries. Under carbon credit initiatives, funds were allocated to communities for protecting forests and developing alternative livelihoods, including beekeeping. However, some residents have not received their payments because they lack official identity documents and bank accounts. Others say beekeeping projects have yet to generate income due to a shortage of technical support.
Experts believe Mozambique must move beyond simply planting trees and focus on ensuring their long term survival. They have called for stronger community participation, regular monitoring, better agricultural support, alternative cooking fuels and improved fire management practices.
Researchers have also suggested promoting activities such as honey production and small scale livestock farming to reduce dependence on forest resources. Satellite imagery, drones and ground level surveys could further help authorities monitor forest conditions and identify areas at risk.
Experts stress that the success of reforestation should not be measured only by the number of trees planted or hectares covered, but by how many trees survive, grow and develop into healthy forests. Without sustained funding effective monitoring and meaningful benefits for local communities, Mozambique’s ambitious restoration targets could remain difficult to achieve.