About us
Our vision: Malawi with healthy forests.
Headquarters: Nkhalango House, Lilongwe.
Who we are
Our commitment to Malawi’s forests
The Department of Forestry works under the Ministry of Natural Resources. It carries out the Forestry Act and the National Forest Policy: protecting and managing the gazetted forest reserves, running government plantations, regulating the harvest and trade of forest produce, and supporting communities to manage the forests on customary land.
The Department is led by the Director of Forestry from Nkhalango House in Lilongwe, with zone and regional offices, a forest office in every district, the Forestry Research Institute of Malawi and the Malawi College of Forestry and Wildlife.
- Gazetted forest reserves
- 88
- Of Malawi under forest
- 24.4%
- Districts with a forest office
- 28
Our mission
To guide, plan, coordinate, facilitate and promote sustainable development, management and utilization of forest resources through active participation of all stakeholders for socio-economic development.
Read the Strategic PlanHow we are organised
Four divisions, one forest estate
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Policy & planning
Policy, strategy, budgets, monitoring and reporting on national commitments.
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Development & management
Forest reserves, plantations, restoration and fire management.
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Advisory & communication
Extension to communities, village committees, and public information.
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Regulation & enforcement
Licensing, inspections, investigations and prosecution of forest crime.
Strategic Plan 2023–2030
What we are working to achieve
Our six strategic objectives, and the headline target: a two-point rise in national forest cover, from 24.4% to 26.4%, by 2028.
Leadership
The team responsible for the nation’s forests
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Mr Custom Nyirenda
Director of Forestry
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Mr Teddie Kamoto
Director of Forestry Research
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Mrs Patricia Masupayi
Senior Deputy Director, Forestry Development and Management
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Mrs Fortune Mwafulirwa
Senior Deputy Director, Forestry Policy and Planning
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Mr William Mitembe
Senior Deputy Director, Forestry Communication and Advisory Services
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Mr Jipate K. K. Munyenyembe
Deputy Director, Regulatory, Enforcement and Prosecution
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Ms Gloria Makhambera
Deputy Director, Viphya Plantations
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Dr Monica Gondwe
Deputy Director and Principal, Malawi College of Forestry and Wildlife
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Mrs Tuntufye Ndovi
Acting Zone Manager, Centre
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Mr Lifred Banda
Acting Zone Manager, East
Milestones
Milestones for Malawi’s forests
The laws and plans that shape how the forest estate is managed today.
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1910–1963
DoneReserves for water catchments
Forest reserves were created to protect watersheds, and village forest areas were set aside under local headmen.
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1964–1993
DoneIndustrial plantations
Plantations such as the Viphya were established to make Malawi self-sufficient in timber.
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1997
DoneForestry Act
Returned ownership of trees grown on customary land to the communities who grow them.
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2016
DoneNational Forest Policy
Set the priorities for conserving, establishing, protecting and managing Malawi’s forests.
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2017
DoneCharcoal and restoration strategies
The National Charcoal Strategy and the National Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy.
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2020
DoneForestry (Amendment) Act
Higher penalties and asset forfeiture for forest crime.
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2023
DoneNational Monitoring Unit
The National Forest and Landscape Restoration Monitoring Unit was launched on 21 March 2023.
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2025–2026
DoneNew Act and Regulations
The Forestry (Amendment) Act, 2025 and the Forestry Regulations, 2026.
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2030
Under wayRestoration target
The year by which Malawi has committed to restore 4.5 million hectares.