About the Mpingo Conservation Project : Partner Organisations

Fauna & Flora International

Founded in 1903, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is the world’s oldest international conservation charity, with over 150 field-based projects in more than 40 countries. Conserving threatened species and ecosystems is FFI’s fundamental mission, but the organisation believes this can only be done by taking account of the livelihoods of those rural people who depend on the species and ecosystems for their survival. Mpingo is one of the species highlighted by the award-winning Global Trees Campaign, a joint initiative between FFI and UNEP-WCMC. Mpingo is a particular focus of FFI's Soundwood Programme, which since 1992 has been working to raise awareness about the use of tropical hardwood timbers in the manufacture of musical instruments, and advocating sustainable use in the industry. The Project also has a strong link with FFI’s Biodiversity and Human Needs programme which are out direct partners in the Darwin Initiative grant.

The Environment Africa Trust

The Environment Africa Trust (EAT) is our other main UK partner. Its mission is to support organisations working in Sub-Saharan Africa that encourage sound environmental management and biodiversity conservation through a strong community economic development focus to achieve sustainable livelihoods.

The Utumi Project and Kilwa District Forestry Office

UTUMI is short for Utunzaji za Misitu, which is Swahili for Forest Conservation. The Utumi Project was a DANIDA-funded initiative, which ran from 2001 to 2004, to implement the new forest policy in Lindi Region and increase the capacity of forestry staff there, and thereby to counteract the unwanted effects of the Rufiji bridge on the precious coastal forests. It was a project with a specific regional focus, and provided a high level of support in the two districts (Kilwa and Lindi) in which it operated. In its three years of operation, Utumi achieved some impressive results introducing Participatory Forest Management to local villages, and substantially increased the capacity of the local district institutions (and the District Forestry Offices in particular) to carry out this sort of work.

Unfortunately the Utumi Project came to an early close in 2004 as funding was re-prioritised. In an attempt to fill the gap the Mpingo Conservation Project has formed a new partnership with the Forestry Office in Kilwa, and we are continuing the excellent work of Utumi in the district forests.

The Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania

The Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST) was founded in 1988 and is the principle conservation-oriented membership society in Tanzania. WCST have been running projects down in Lindi Region for many years, and we have a long association with WCST who provide us a base in Dar es Salaam. The 2001 expedition was a direct collaboration between WCST and the MCP.

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