Strengthening forest monitoring and management planning in Zambia

Zambia’s forests are essential for livelihoods, biodiversity, water resources and climate. They provide food, fuel and materials for local communities, support diverse ecosystems, and help regulate water cycles and address climate change. To promote their sustainable management, FAO with the support of the AIM4Forests and the UN-REDD programmes, is working with the Forestry Department of Zambia to enhance forest data collection and decision-making in North-Western Province—the country’s most forested region and home to the headwaters of the Zambezi River. Key activities include a forest inventory in Manyinga District, conducted in 2024, and the development of a forest management plan in 2025 to guide long-term sustainable use.

As part of this effort, a recent workshop in Lusaka brought together Forestry Department officers to strengthen their skills in forest data processing and use for planning. The workshop provided hands-on training in using Open Foris Arena, an advanced data analysis platform, to process forest inventory data and develop a forest management plan for Manyinga District.

Open Foris Arena is an open-source platform designed to support field data collection, analysis and decision-making in forest management. The solution enables users to collect, validate and analyse forest inventory data efficiently, integrating statistical methods and data analysis. With Open Foris Arena, forestry officers can work with large datasets and generate reports that inform policy, planning, and reporting without incurring high software costs. The training emphasized how Arena's user-friendly interface and customizable features can enhance forest resource assessment and improve data-driven decision making.

Arena plays a role in streamlining data collection, analysis and decision-making processes for forest management in Zambia. Arena serves as an enabler for Zambia's sustainable forest management efforts by enhancing transparency, improving data accessibility, and fostering a more inclusive decision-making process as well as strengthening institutional capacity. The training, held from 24 to 28 February 2025 and also focused on statistical analysis, data validation, and spatial data integration. Forestry Department officers gained practical experience in interpreting forest inventory data collected in 2024 and applying it to inform sustainable management strategies.

Lasford Champo, Senior Forestry Officer of the Zambian Forestry Department, pointed out: “Management planning is essential for us because it equips us with the data necessary for sustainable forest management. Arena offers us a valuable opportunity to plan, collect, manage, and analyze this data without the burden of costly licenses. This training is incredibly beneficial as it enhances our skills in resource management.”

Developing effective forest management plans: a comprehensive training

The workshop also included a comprehensive training on how to develop forest management plans. Participants engaged in collaborative work to define the process and define the objectives of the management plan for Manyinga, as follows:

• support forest-water- climate objectives and sustainable land use;
• enhance socio-economic benefits and promote small forest enterprises; and
• recognize the role of forests in biodiversity conservation, water regulation, and cultural heritage.

Participants outlined key targets, assessed financial requirements, and established a framework for responsible forest resource use.

A special session with development partners—including GIZ, the EU, USAID, CIFOR, WWF, and others—focused on aligning efforts to improve forest monitoring and management in Manyinga district. Discussions centered on harmonizing methodologies and scaling up best practices to enhance conservation outcomes.

“For Zambia to develop a greener economy, we need informed and data-driven decisions for the sustainably management of our forest and an eco-friendly future,” stressed Victoria Mubabe, Forest Technologist in the Zambian Forestry Department and training participant.

The way forward

Building on this momentum, next steps will include collection of data to support the planning process, engagement of stakeholders and development of the forest management plan of Manynga. Ongoing collaboration with representatives from the Northwestern Province will be key to ensuring sustainable forest management in Manyinga and beyond.

The workshop highlighted a renewed commitment from the Forestry Department to sustainably manage Zambia's forests, ensuring long-term environmental sustainability and socio-economic benefits.

Sylvester Siame, Senior Forestry Officer (Zambian Forestry Department), concluded: “The outputs from the Arena training are already having an impact on our knowledge of forest resources in Manyinga. As we proceed with preparing a forest management plan, we look forward to continuing our partnership with FAO under the AIM4Forests and UN-REDD programmes.”

Through these efforts, AIM4Forests and UN-REDD are supporting the commitment of the Forestry Department to preserve and sustainably manage Zambia’s forests, ensuring they continue to provide essential environmental, economic, and social benefits for generations to come.