The Kilombero Valley Teak Company (KVTC) manages approximately 28,000 hectares of private land, divided into teak plantations and conservation areas. Although KVTC’s past conservation efforts have been successful, there are clear signs that pressure on the natural resources are increasing. KVTC realises that it needs to review its current land use plan in order to ensure the optimal conservation outcomes continue to be achieved in the long term. The aim of the assignment was to assess the technical, financial, institutional and economic feasibility of a collaborative forestry management scheme on private land for community benefit. To achieve these goals, the Belgian Development Agency assigned UNIQUE to conduct a forest stock assessment of the Miombo forest, as well as an economic, institutional and managerial feasibility study for KVTC.

• Inventory the KVTC miombo forests.
• Assess the interest and management capacity of communities through participatory rural appraisals.
• Analyze the potential forest products market.
• Establish the market potential and pricing system.
• Develop viable forest management and timber marketing business models, replicable at community level.
• Develop possible joint forest management models.