Kapsoloi - Fencing and Reforestation
- Salvatore Correddu
- Jul 15, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 26, 2024
Background:
The fencing and reforestation project of Kapsoloi, Mount Mtelo, took shape after John Ywalasiwa, Saving Forest volunteer and owner of the "Eco Lodge", an accommodation facility with restaurant and beds, brought to our attention the interest of the Kapsoloi community to want to support our initiatives, after word had spread in the surrounding villages of a previous project carried out by Saving Forest, regarding the fencing of a bamboo forest in a state of degradation due to heavy deforestation.
On June 15, 2023, a first meeting was held with the Kapsoloi community.
Among the main stakeholders and participants were representatives of the local indigenous communities, including Geofrey Loriso, a brilliant 23-year-old son of the community leader, Paul Cheptuwow Loriso (who became Leader due to the fact that he has 5 wives and 42 children, a sign of social power and economical), and some elderly people from the community. The meeting was led by Saving Forest (SF) President Meshack Ole Sabari, SF CEO Salvatore Correddu, technical support agronomist Giuseppe De Bac and John Yawalasiwa.
These were the problems encountered after the on-site visit:
Initial site assessment revealed extensive deforestation and land degradation in the Kapsoloi area.
Community consultations highlighted the dependence on forests for livelihoods.
The environmental analysis highlighted the loss of biodiversity, soil erosion and reduced water retention.
After this meeting, an official request was subsequently made to the Saving Forest association in Switzerland, through Guido Besimo, intermediary and awareness raiser between the two NGOs, explaining and listing the reasons why the implementation of this small project can have an important impact on the future:
Raising awareness of local communities
Temporary job
Partial recovery of biodiversity
Carbon storage
Teaching on how to grow native trees and be able to sell them to future reforestation projects
Fence and protection of 3 hectares of land with 50 native species inside.
Introduction:
The area in question is called Kapsloi, about 1.5 kilometers from the summit of Mount Mtelo, at 3336 meters above sea level, where there is a small village of about 100 inhabitants. forest.
Project implementation:
Site preparation:
The project began with site assessment and planning, to ensure the best conditions for successful reforestation. The terrain, soil quality and native tree species were assessed.
We started by fencing the plot to protect future plants from animals that illegally graze inside the forest.
Tree planting:
600 Poda Carpus and 400 Long Internode Bamboo trees were planted, with bamboo kindly donated by Giuseppe De Bac, planted in mid-September, paying close attention to spacing and positioning. The 50 native trees have been fenced and protected to prevent them from being cut down or eaten by livestock in the future.
Management and maintenance:
After planting, the project entered a crucial management phase, focusing on watering and nourishing the newly planted seedlings.
This involved a group of 4 local people who are watering the plants twice a week to help them develop and grow. About 50 poda carpus seedlings were replaced because they died, this allowed us to have 100% success on all the seedlings planted.
Benefits of the project:
The Kapsoloi reforestation project has brought several significant benefits:
Community awareness
Temporary work for the premises
Teaching for the cultivation of native trees
Carbon storage: Newly planted trees, especially bamboo, play a vital role in carbon storage.
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