Yaeda Valley

The Yaeda Valley, also known as the Yaeda-Eyasi Landscape, is a biodiverse region located in the Mbulu District of Tanzania's Manyara Region, situated south of Lake Eyasi. This area forms an endorheic basin with no drainage outlet, and its swampy sections are fed by the Yaeda River originating in the Mbulu Highlands. The landscape is characterized by diverse terrain, including forested hillsides, shrublands, savannahs, and grasslands. Key natural features include 162 square kilometers of seasonal swamp with extensive rush and sedge, and 80 square kilometers of floodplain grassland. Higher slopes are adorned with Vachellia tortilis, Vachellia kirkii, and majestic baobab woodlands.The valley is a critical wildlife corridor, connecting to the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater Highlands/Conservation Area, facilitating the movement of various animal species. It is home to a rich array of wildlife, including numerous waterbirds such as Cattle egrets, Glossy ibises, and Knob-billed ducks. Larger mammals like elephants and leopards inhabit the grasslands and woodlands. Conservation efforts within the Yaeda-Eyasi Landscape have led to observed increases in wildlife populations, notably Masai giraffes, African wild dogs, zebras, lions, and impalas, contrasting with declines in other parts of East Africa.Culturally, the Yaeda Valley is the ancestral home of the Hadza people, one of the last remaining hunter-gatherer Indigenous groups on the planet, who have lived here for over 40,000 years. They maintain a traditional subsistence lifestyle, relying on hunting, gathering wild fruits, seeds, tubers, and honey. The Datooga pastoralist community also resides in the valley, practicing sustainable livestock grazing. In response to threats from deforestation and agricultural encroachment, the Yaeda Valley Project was established in 2011. This community-led initiative, in partnership with organizations like Carbon Tanzania, focuses on securing land rights, conserving forests, and promoting sustainable livelihoods. The Hadza community achieved a landmark victory in 2011 by securing Tanzania's first-ever Group Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy, granting them legal tenure over more than 20,000 hectares of their traditional lands.The project utilizes a carbon offset scheme, where revenue from selling carbon credits directly benefits the Hadza and Datooga communities. This funding supports essential community needs, including salaries for 142 village game scouts who patrol the forests to prevent poaching and illegal land conversion, as well as improving access to education and healthcare services. These efforts have significantly reduced deforestation rates, with Carbon Tanzania estimating that 18,700 trees are prevented from being cut annually, and have fostered the return of wildlife to the area. The project protects over 110,500 hectares of dryland forest, demonstrating a successful model for nature-based solutions that empower indigenous communities while mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity.