Tanzania Forest Fund is a Public Conservation Trust Fund established under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism as a sustainable funding mechanism for supporting forest protection, conservation, management and development in Tanzania Mainland. The Fund is established under sections 79 to 83 of the Forest Act Cap. 323 and was made operational in July, 2010 through Treasury Circular No. 4 of 2009. Tanzania Forest Fund is governed by a Board of Trustees and the day-to-day operations are carried out by Fund Secretariat headed by an Administrative Secretary.

Sources of funds for Tanzania Forest Fund

Sections 79 (2) of the Forest Act Cap. 323 identifies sources of funds to the Tanzania Forest Fund as follows:

1. A levy of two per cent of every prescribed fee payable under the Forest Act;
2. A levy of three per cent of any royalty payable under the Act;
3. Grants, donations, bequests or such sums contributed by any private individuals, corporate bodies, foundations, or international organizations or funds within or outside the country;
4. Any sums realized by the sale of any forest produce confiscated under any of the provisions of the act;
5. Any income generated by any project financed by the Fund, due allowance being made for any necessary expenses which must be met by any such project; and
6. Any such funds acquired from various sources.

Roles and Functions of Tanzania Forest Fund

The objects and purposes of Tanzania Forest Fund are stipulated in section 80 of the Forest Act Cap. 323 of 2002 as follows:

1. To promote awareness of the importance of the protection, development and sustainable use of forest resources through public education and training;
2. To promote and assist in the development of community forestry directed towards the conservation and protection of the forest resources of the country through the making of grants and providing advice and assistance to groups of persons wishing to form themselves into a group;
3. To promote and fund research into forestry;
4. To assist in enabling Tanzania to benefit from international initiatives and international funds directed towards the conservation and protection of biological diversity and the promotion of sustainable development of forest resources;
5. To assist groups of persons and individuals to participate in any public debates and discussions on forestry and in particular to participate in processes connected with the making of an environmental impact assessment provided under section 18 of the Forest Act;
6. To assist groups of persons and individuals to ensure compliance with the Forest Act; and
7. To promote such other activities of a like nature to those set out in this section as will advance the purposes of the Forest Act.