The government has introduced a mandatory tree-planting levy for commercial timber harvesters operating in state-owned forests, a move aimed at strengthening reforestation efforts and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Tanzania’s forestry resources.
Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Hamad Hassan Chande told Parliament on June 23, 2026, that the levy forms part of broader measures to promote responsible forest management and safeguard the country’s forest cover.
Responding to a question from Njombe Urban MP Deodatus Philip Mwanyika, who sought details on mechanisms requiring timber harvesters to support tree planting initiatives or contribute to the Tanzania Forest Fund (TaFF), Mr Chande said the government had already put in place a legal framework to facilitate such contributions.
He said Government Notice No. 132 of February 2025 introduced a tree-planting fee equivalent to five percent of the royalty paid to the government by every commercial timber harvester operating in state forests.
“The ministry, through Government Notice No. 132 of February 2025, established a levy of five percent of the royalties paid to the government by each commercial timber harvester as a tree-planting fee channelled through the Tanzania Forest Fund,” Mr Chande said.
The fund is intended to support reforestation programmes, forest restoration activities and other initiatives aimed at maintaining the sustainability of the forestry sector, which remains an important contributor to livelihoods, environmental conservation and economic growth.
Mr Chande said the levy currently applies to timber harvested from government-owned forests and plantations. However, authorities are continuing to assess its implementation and effectiveness.
Should the government find it necessary to expand the arrangement to privately owned forests, he said, the relevant regulations would be amended to enable private forest growers and commercial harvesters to contribute through a similar mechanism.
The forestry sector has increasingly come under pressure from rising demand for timber and wood products, prompting efforts by the government to balance commercial exploitation with conservation and reforestation initiatives.
Officials say strengthening reforestation financing is critical to ensuring that harvested forests are replenished and that the sector remains sustainable for future generations.
