Trees with Value
In Cameroon’s Congo Basin, forest communities are now earning money not from cutting trees but from preserving them. Through REDD+ carbon credit projects, villages are paid to protect biodiversity and reduce deforestation.
Payment for Ecosystem Services
Organizations like COMIFAC, REDD Cameroon, and global NGOs support these projects, measuring how much carbon is stored in forests. Villages that meet targets receive annual payments.
Community-Led Forestry
Residents participate in mapping, patrols, and monitoring, and revenues fund schools, health centers, and climate adaptation projects like erosion control and drought-tolerant crops.
Empowering Women and Youth
Programs encourage gender inclusion by training women in forest monitoring and giving youth new roles in digital data collection and drone surveying.
A New Forest Economy
Cameroon’s carbon credit model is a powerful example of how African communities can earn income from protecting ecosystems, not exploiting them.
