Akashinga’s Phundundu conservancy in Zimbabwe’s Hurungwe District naturally comprised of dry, deciduous Miombo and Mopane woodland on rocky escarpments leading to broad valleys of grass and scrub. Time and seasons have seen large-scale clearing of the bush for human settlement. The result? Degraded land, soil erosion, compromised biodiversity and even a steady decline in indigenous knowledge about natural sources of food and medicine.

Driven by a vision to heal the land, Akashinga Biodiversity Supervisor Sergeant Nyaradzo Hoto has piloted a land management project focusing on nurturing and reintroducing indigenous trees.

The initiative has now grown into a sustainable project that is restoring ecological balance and providing socio-economic benefits to the people in the surrounding area.

The indigenous tree nursery holds 20,000 seedlings, all neatly labelled to display their English, Latin, and African names. All of the trees were purchased as seeds directly from the community and the nursery has provided several new jobs, as well as ongoing opportunities to sell trees for landscaping, reforestation, and agroforestry projects.

Sergeant Hoto says she has been inspired by the community’s enthusiasm and collective stewardship: “This project has taught me patience and persistence, as nurturing seedlings requires time and careful attention. It reminds me that meaningful change starts with small, dedicated steps.”

At Akashinga, it gives us immense pride to see communities take ownership of the environment around them. Their unwavering hope for a sustainable and thriving future outshines all else and compels us to pledge our ongoing support to this project that’s socially inclusive, economically uplifting, and restoring ecological balance.