The Chirisa REDD+ Project
The Chirisa REDD+ project is a project implemented to protect the Chirisa Safari Area in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. The project area of 144,796 hectares is owned by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) and is run jointly by ZPWMA and Carbon Green (Carbon Green Africa (CGA) & Carbon Green Investments (CGI)) as a REDD+ project. The main objective of the agreement is to establish a REDD+ project, with the aims of:
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REDD+ carbon credit generation
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Contribution to sustainable conservation in Zimbabwe
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Development of a strategy for invasive species management
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Fire and roads management
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Game, water and habitat management
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Strengthening anti-poaching law enforcement
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Wildlife population management
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Promoting wildlife tourism and related activities
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Community livelihoods enhancement
“Ancient trees are precious. There is little else on Earth that plays host to such a rich community of life within a single living organism.”
— Sir David Attenborough
What is a REDD+ Project?
REDD is an acronym for "Reduced Emissions from Deforestation & Degradation". The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”) describes REDD as: “an effort to create financial value for the carbon stored in forest areas, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands & invest in low carbon paths to sustainable development”
What we do to protect forests
The Chirisa REDD+ Project works hand in hand with Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) to protect the forested areas within the Chirisa Safari Area from illegal wood poaching & fires through the use of trained personnel on the ground as well as community based training & income generating opportunities to discourage deforestation.
How we protect wildlife
The Chirisa REDD+ Project works with ZPWMA to protect the local wildlife in the Chirisa Safari Area from illegal poaching & wildfires with special attention on vulnerable & endangered species such as the Southern Ground Hornbill, African Elephant, Leopard & Lion. The Project will also be looking to restock plains game whose populations have dwindled.
How we help communities
The Project aims to improve the standards of living for over 90,000 surrounding community members in Gokwe North, Gokwe South & Binga through improved livelihoods, employment, better access to clean water, training on conservation agriculture, introduction of community gardens including providing routes to market for produce, beekeeping and improvements to schools and clinics.
Other projects
Carbon Green Africa has successfully managed the Kariba REDD+ Project in Zimbabwe for over 10 years. The Kariba REDD+ Project is one of the largest and longest-standing REDD projects in the world and remains an example of excellent reputation. The Chirisa REDD+ Project has taken many lessons from the Kariba REDD+ project and has drawn from their onsite expertise.
Certifications
The Chirisa REDD+ Project is in the process of being certified through the International Carbon Registry under the ISO 14064-2 methodology.
Our audit is currently in process and our auditors, Earthood, visited Chirisa for their onsite visit in 2025. We expect to have successfully completed validation & verification by mid-2026.