Trees for Peace

Global Environmental Sustainability… Our Mission for a greener tomorrow 

The Local Management Team of the One Million Trees for Peace Project in Africa sincerely thanks our GlobalGiving partners, the Board of Association Bernadette Strebel Peace Foundation–Europe, and all other supporters for their continued commitment to our mission.

Your support strengthens our efforts to restore parts of Africa’s degraded forests through reforestation and forest plantation development programs that promote global environmental sustainability.

Through these initiatives, we are also creating employment opportunities for people in rural communities. These jobs help families earn a stable income and enable children from underprivileged backgrounds, including those whose parents work in the forests, to attend school.

In addition, the project promotes religious harmony and peaceful coexistence among communities. We are especially committed to supporting victims of Boko Haram and the Salafi-Jihadist militant group (ISWAP) in northern Nigeria by providing sustainable livelihoods and new opportunities for a better future.

Protecting our Forest Area from Forest Fire

In the last two months of the year, the forestry workers were clearing fire paths to prevent fire outbreaks in the 2025 planted area. Furthermore, lots of maintenance operations were carried out. Weeding of the 2019, 2020 and 2023 planted areas was performed. There were some Elephant grass infested areas (around 16.5 hectares), which had to be cleaned up as well. As of December 2025, we have regenerated 126.5 hectares. One downside was the break-down of a Hilux, which was second handily bought in 2006. This led to the workers and Dr Festus Onogholo, having to take the public transportation. Sadly, also our sign was badly damaged. It seemed like big vehicle or truck did it. 

Our Major Current Challenges- A Project Vehicle Possible a Used Toyota Hilux

During the working tour by the board of ABSWP TEAM and one of our generous sponsors, we requested for a project vehicle to the Chief of Staff to Mr. Governor who represented Mr. Governor at this event. In his response he said when he reports to Mr. Governor what he saw, this won’t be a problem. We have done lots of follow-up from June 2025 to February 20, 2026, no response from the Government because of the present economic realities the state Government is facing which has made them unable to meet its primary responsibility of full wage payment to civil servants and fighting insecurity. This is really causing a hard time for the Project manager and the working team as they have to go on public transportation as related to our forestry work.

Christmas package for the forest workers

We are happy to announce that with generous donations, we were able to buy some Christmas rice for the forestry workers and some widows of the local church. The joy was endless, and the work motivation got high again towards the end of the year. Then the workers were finally able to go on a Christmas break from the 23^rd of December to the 7^th of January of 2026, after getting Christmas rice as well as their salary. The deputy project manager, all the forest supervisors as well as some others volunteered to forest surveillance operations while some of the workers were on holiday.

Start into the new year

Work resumed on the 7^th of January 2026 and the workers were very refreshed after the two weeks of holidays. The major work done in January 2026 was fire tracing and maintenance of all the created fire part. We also created fire part round the 400 hectares allocated to the One Million Trees for Peace Project, which 126.5 hectares have been reforested or planted with forest trees. We did this to protect the 126.5 hectares and the planted trees and animals from invasive forest fires, which unfortunately is a common trend this season or period (dry harmattan). Outside the 400 hectares we noticed some fire incidences and the Deputy Project Manager directed some workers with the support of the youth of the local community to put it off. This is done by nipping the fire incidence at the bud approached before its spread and saving other forest creatures in these areas.

February 2026 forestry Operation

In continuation of our Forest Restoration Project in Africa, we have applied for a demarcation of a further 5 hectares of deforested degraded land for 2026 forest tree planting. We have also commenced the raising of over 12,000 forest baby trees seedlings of which 5,555 forest seedlings will be used for planting of the 5 hectares and others will be used for beat-up or enrichment planting of 20 hectares of forest planting in 2025, 16.34 hectares planted in 2024 and 5.5 hectares planted in 2023. Generally, land preparation for the 2026 forest trees planting has started and more to this maintenance of past areas planted with forest trees will be done.

Current reality of the Project Manager and the Management Team

The project manager vehicle has been handed over to the forestry workers. Therefore, the Project Manager, Dr Festus Onogholo, the deputy Project manager, Malam Audu have been going on public transport. That is unfortunate, at it is very hectic and time consuming. Furthermore, our dear Project Manager Dr Festus Onogholo sustained and injury. It is getting better but going on public transportation is not an easy task. To make it easier, he was accompanied by his management team and some of the police. 

We stay positive as we need more of the support of our GlobalGiving partners and others that there will be a new vehicle available soon for the Project and the current challenges can be made more manageable. 

Greater Project needs greater support

We are grateful for your past support and partnership to the One Million Trees for Peace Project. We are glad to inform you that by December 2026 we would have turn 131.5 hectares of degraded land to rich forest with beautiful forest creatures of animals, birds, insects and other forest biomass. Without you, we can’t do this. We hereby appeal for more of your support to enable us pay forestry workers wages, getting a used project vehicle and workers welfare etc.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr Festus Onogholo

Project Manager Nigeria.

• PDF version of the report with pictures (PDF)