The government has set ambitious targets to expand forest cover and strengthen environmental resilience. These include planting at least 300 million trees nationwide by 2029. The plan also aims to restore 2 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Recently, the cabinet has approved new measures to scale up forest and landscape restoration nationwide, with a special focus on urban areas. According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the initiative will bring together communities and partners to strengthen Rwanda’s resilience to climate change, safeguard the environment, improve quality of life, and open up sustainable economic opportunities. ALSO READ: Govt sets new guidelines to boost native trees in cities Philippe Kwitonda, the Director General in charge of Land, Water and Forestry at the Ministry of Environment, said Rwanda is stepping up its restoration efforts, having already surpassed its seedling production target. “We produced 72 million seedlings this season, exceeding our target of 60 million. Our focus now is on improving seedling quality and variety, and involving communities to ensure these efforts are sustainable,” he said. ALSO READ: 17 native tree species to help green Rwanda’s Eastern Province “We have now shifted to a community-driven approach, involving local residents in both implementation and maintenance. This ensures that our restoration targets are met while creating lasting environmental impact,” he added. Restoration efforts are concentrated in key regions, including forest planting in the Eastern Province, landscape restoration in the Western and Southern Provinces, and ecosystem rehabilitation in the Western and Northern Provinces. Kwitonda said the nationwide goals encompass soil erosion control, forest management, and forest creation. “We are already seeing the effects of climate change, urbanisation, flooding, soil erosion, and declining air quality. This is why urgent and sustained action is necessary. Our restoration efforts must be continuous and purposeful. While our targets remain largely the same, we are increasing the pace to ensure every action has a meaningful and lasting impact,” he said. ALSO READ: Five indigenous tree species that face extinction The upcoming planting season will also prioritise urban forests, residential areas, and roadsides to boost tree cover across Kigali and other cities. Kwitonda highlighted the multiple benefits of urban greenery, from improved air quality and nutrition to enhanced mental health. “Urban areas are densely populated, and green spaces are vital for community wellbeing. Our land use master plans and zoning regulations guide the creation of sustainable, green urban environments. This season, we want every tree planted in cities to be properly maintained, each tree is an investment in the health, climate resilience, and beauty of our communities,” he said. According to Concorde Nsengumuremyi, the Director General of Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), the government’s restoration plan includes planting along roadsides, in open spaces such as parks and gardens, in riparian areas, and within residential spaces. “In residential spaces, the places we are targeting include rooftop, gardens and wall-climbing vegetation. Together, these efforts form part of Rwanda’s green infrastructure strategy, aimed at building healthier, more resilient, and sustainable cities,” he said. By 2030, the government seeks to achieve 100 percent agroforestry adoption on farms, as outlined in Rwanda’s Nationally Determined Contributions and National Agroforestry Strategy (2018). All national forests are to be managed through a Forest Monitoring and Evaluation System (FMES) by 2029. For the current fiscal year 2025/2026, the annual target is to plant at least 72 million tree seedlings across the country.
