Community Forests International (CFI) is a

charity Charity may refer to: Common meanings * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sha ...

that works with

sustainability Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Sustainability usually has three dimensions (or pillars): env ...

in forests. The CFI

headquarters Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...

is located in

Sackville, New Brunswick Sackville is a former town in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. It held town status prior to 2023 and is now part of the town of Tantramar, New Brunswick, Tantramar. Sackville is home to Mount Allison University, a primarily undergraduate libe ...

, Canada. The organization was founded in 2007 by Jeff Schnurr. After traveling to over 35 countries and working as a Canadian tree-planter, Schnurr landed in

Pemba, Tanzania Pemba Island (; ''al-Jazīra al-khadrāʔ''; ; ) is a Tanzanian island forming part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, lying within the Swahili Coast in the Indian Ocean. Geography file:Map of Zanzibar Archipelago-en.svg, left, The main islands of the ...

. While living there, he was approached by a group of local fishermen who were interested in

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

planting as a means for stabilizing the local environment. CFI's

operating model An operating model is both an abstract and visual representation (model) of how an organization delivers value to its customers or beneficiaries as well as how an organization actually runs itself. Definition There are different ways of defining t ...

is communities need to make their own change. In April 2009, CFI helped Tanzanians in Pemba

incorporate Incorporation may refer to: * Incorporation (business), the creation of a business or corporation * Incorporation of a place, the creation of municipal corporation such as a city or county * Incorporation (academic), awarding a degree based on the ...

their own organization, Community Forests Pemba (CFP). In 2010, Jeff was named one of Canada's Top 10 volunteers by the CBC Canada's Champions of Change a program run by the

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is the Canadian Public broadcasting, public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a Crown corporation that serves as the national public broadcaster, with its E ...

with the goal of recognizing some of Canada's most active volunteers.

Community Forests Pemba (CFP)

Traditional agriculture, charcoal production and population expansion have left Old-growth forest, natural forest systems largely depleted across the island of

. For this reason Pembans have needed to import wood and charcoal while soil systems have been depleted. While living in Pemba, Schnurr worked in partnership with Mbarouk Mussa Omar, a local Activism, activist to organize Gardening, gardeners, tree growers and Forestry, foresters in order to fight land degradation and to Empowerment, empower communities to Sustainability, sustainably manage their own resources in an Economics, economically viable way. Since 2007, CFI in partnership with CFP has launched 14 Community ownership, community-owned projects in Tanzania, operated by 1,800 locals, 70 percent of them women. As of May 22, 2013, over 1,000,000 trees have been planted in collaboration between farmers, local foresters, government and communities in Pemba. They have provided this community with countless help, providing access to clean water, as well as giving hope to their community.

Whaelghinbran Farm

In 2012, CFI raised over $100,000 to purchase Whaelghinbran Farm, a 580-acre farm and forest property near Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada. The land belonged to Clark Phillips and Susan Tyler, a couple who had been Organic farming, farming organically and Forest restoration, restoring the forest since the early 70s. The property boasts more than 70 acres of certified organic farmland; in its early years Phillips and Tyler hosted Green Party MP Elizabeth May. Through CFI, the farm is currently being used as an incubator space for the next generation of Canadian Environmental stewardship, land stewards. The organization currently hosts workshops, an organic farmer Apprenticeship, apprentice program and horse logging at the farm.

References

{{Reflist Non-profit organizations based in New Brunswick Environmental organizations based in New Brunswick Community-based forestry