Tanzania’s coastal forests are home to some of the planet’s most cherished wildlife including elephants, lions, leopards, primates, migratory birds, and much more. Thanks to the work of the World Land Trust and their ‘Saving Tanzania’s Coastal Forests’ appeal, it will continue to be their home for many years to come.
Of course, initiatives like this aren’t possible without the support of brands like Puro who are dedicated to supporting the appeal and have in fact made a significant contribution to the creation of 10 wildlife reserves in the area.
We take a look at the work that the World Land Trust do and why Puro became such a key support of this Tanzania project.
Puro and the Tanzania Coastal Forest Project
“A unique partnership, crafted in 2005 with World Land Trust, has seen money from the sale of every bag of Puro coffee directed back into conserving the very habitat that conceived it. And, we are really proud of what we have achieved so far”
Puro became involved in the Tanzania Coastal Forest project because they wanted to express their support and gratitude to the lands of Africa, the continental birthplace of coffee. They were keen to honour nature’s lessons of harmonious exchange and interconnectedness and to reciprocate the gift of Tanzania’s gift of Robusta coffee. This was achieved through raising funds for the creation of ten nature receives, giving something back, and re-balancing the environment.
The success of the appeal and the phenomenal funds that were raised so quickly towards these 10 reserves came as no surprise to Puro’s Andy Orchard. With the efforts of the World Land Trust’s supporters let by patron Sir David Attenborough, they work tirelessly to raise awareness and consciousness for conservation and the climate. Andy goes on to say “Naturally more and more people are now feeling moved to play their part; the alarm bell has been rung and we are now all called to respond. It’s a privilege to sit in such good company, participating in positive change.”
Why Intervention in Tanzania’s Coastal Forest Was Necessary
The demand and success of plant-based growth industries are a good thing for farmers looking to generate their own income. It offers new hope and a lifeline for those that want to support themselves. However, it’s not without challenges as they fight to plant more, and create higher income streams means that boundaries are extended, trees are felled and a desire to use as much land as possible to maximise the income has a detrimental impact on nature.
What Has Puro’s Involvement Meant?
To ensure that these boundaries are protected while still offering income generation for local communities, Fairtrade coffee and the funding for projects such as this means that everyone is a winner. By rallying behind the WLT to save the Tanzanian Coastal Forests, 49,000+ acres of corridors have remained open to creatures such as elephants as other routes have become closed off, while landowners have been able to get a fair price for their coffee and work together to protect the lands.
Involving Local Communities
Involving the local people and communities of the Rondo Plateau is integral to the success of this campaign. By working together, to decide where these reserves are created, everyone can exist together while embracing their new sustainable livelihoods. Aligning community interests with conservation efforts is no easy task so by involving the communities and giving them some kind of ownership, the inhabitants of the communities can then take on the role of guardians.
A Cause for Hope
Working together to support sustainability and fair-trade farming means that we can move forward into an era of hope and cooperation striving to maintain the iconic lions, leopards, and elephants and protecting our beloved planet.
If you want to play your part, make sure you reuse your coffee and tea waste.
For more information on Puro Coffee read more here or place an order online.
