Forest sustain livelihoods and regulate our global climate. Yet our Earth’s lungs are disappearing, along with endangered species found nowhere else in the world. From bonobo to okapi, Togo slippery frog to the Nigerian-Cameroon chimpanzee, Tusk partners with the most impactful African-driven organisations, to protect and restore the forests, while empowering local people to be custodians.
The threats facing Africa’s forests are deforestation and degradation: between 2015 – 2020 an estimated ten million hectares (~25 million acres) of forest were lost each year to deforestation.* The misuse of forest resources for agriculture – combined with climate change – are all having a devastating effect and despite reforestation projects taking place across Africa – there are concerns of non-native trees and unsuitable habitat being reforested, impacting landscapes and potentially do more harm than good.*
Forests play a substantial role in the global carbon cycle. By storing huge amounts of carbon, when large areas forests are cleared or disturbed the release of that stored carbon into the atmosphere is contributing around 12- 20% towards global warming. *
Forest fragmentation is removing and breaking up species habitats, some of which are critically engendered. Dr Caleb Ofori-Boteng from Herp-Ghana explains that fewer than 250 adult individuals exist globally, after it was believed to be extinct for nearly 40 years. The removal of forest vegetation for farms, houses, mining and tourists is having a dramatic impact. If there is no forest, there is no whistling frog.
We have a role to play in supporting communities dealing with the impacts of degraded forests and to provide resources for sustainable forest use and to improve their livelihoods.
Over the past week Tusk has been part of the Big Give Green Match Fund and we are thrilled to announce that we raised over £55,000 for Africa’s Guardians of the forest. All donations made between 18th – 25th April were matched and will ensure that we can continue to support impactful local organisations. A huge thank you to everyone who donated.
