Building Resilient Forests and Sustainable Communities in Tropical Africa

​As part of London Climate Action Week 2026, CTrees is bringing together leaders across science and policy on Wednesday, June 24, to discuss efforts to advance forest resilience and economic development in tropical Africa.

Featuring panel discussions with leading scientists, government officials, and experts in finance and policy, the event will explore practical pathways towards more resilient ecosystems and livelihoods in the region.

​Confirmed speakers include:

​Panel 1 | Green Shields: Scaling Trees on Farms for Climate Resilience and Food Security

​Across Central Africa, scattered trees and on-farm agroforestry act as critical green shields—recycling moisture, stabilizing local climates, and sustaining crop and livestock productivity. This panel of scientists, policymakers, and NGO leaders will highlight how trees on farms can help deliver measurable gains for food security and livelihoods in the region.

• ​Roselyn Fosuah Adjei, Senior Advisor Consultant, Forest, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

• ​John Mundy, Director of Global Partnerships, One Acre Fund

• ​Tim Pagella, Thematic Lead on Agroforestry, CIFOR-ICRAF

• ​Sassan Saatchi, CEO and Chief Scientist, CTrees

• ​Lee White, Special Envoy, Science Panel for the Congo Basin

​Panel 2 | Rewarding Regrowth: Investing in Africa’s Regenerating Forests

​Naturally regenerating forests are among the most powerful nature‑based climate solutions, yet current climate and biodiversity finance largely overlooks the impact of regeneration. This panel of leading scientists, funders, decision-makers, and community advocates will explore what it takes to successfully scale regeneration across tropical Africa—turning these forests into investable and equitable climate solutions.

• ​Hannah Morton, Carbon Originator, Trafigura

• ​Berta Pesti, Head of Secretariat, Central African Forest Initiative

• ​Sassan Saatchi, CEO and Chief Scientist, CTrees

• ​Tonthoza Uganja, CEO and Founder, Sustainable Farming Solutions Malawi

​Advance registration for this event is required and subject to approval. Please reach out to Janet Smith, director of development and partnerships, at jsmith@ctrees.org with questions.