Promoting community forest governance in Mali

Promoting Community Forest Governance in Mali: Impact Summary

This impact summary presents the case study of a project led by Tree Aid in partnership with Sahel Eco and funded by the UK Government’s Darwin Initiative. Implemented from 2021 to 2024 across six communes in Mali’s Ségou region, the project aimed to strengthen community-led forest governance as a pathway to restore degraded ecosystems, improve food security, and build resilient livelihoods.

It demonstrates how empowering local people to manage and benefit from their natural resources leads to measurable social, economic, and environmental gains - from increased household incomes and improved diets to expanded forest restoration and stronger community institutions. The report provides clear evidence that locally led forest governance delivers lasting results for both people and planet.