OUR INSIGHTS

Busibo and Namabaale Teachers’ Villages

Across Uganda, the lack of teacher housing is a serious challenge. So when Uganda-based architecture and construction firm Localworks embarked on a project to build 52 residential units in Busibo and Namabaale in 2023-24, it aimed to reimagine not just the buildings themselves, but Uganda's entire approach to housing essential workers.

Growing Community

For over a decade, tree growers’ associations have provided critical support for national reforestation efforts across the three-country region of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Increasingly, they are also laying the foundation for a strong forest-based bioeconomy in the region. 

On the Ground in Nairobi, Kampala, and Zanzibar: What It Will Take to Grow East Africa’s Forest Economy

In June, CSFEP travelled across Nairobi, Kampala, and Zanzibar with Built by Nature, one of our partners and funders. Read our three key learnings.

2024 Learning Report

Read about three lessons we've learned this year

A Global Movement,

Locally Driven

Read about how CSFEP's evolving model reflects its learning

Learning from the Portland airport 

Find out why the commodities market doesn’t incentivize good forestry—and what we can do about it

Reflecting on our learnings 

Read the top 7 learnings from the first few years of CSFEP’s work  

How Bhutan could provide the blueprint for global climate smart forest economies

Read about how Bhutan is creating housing, maintaining its carbon negative status, and sustainably managing its forests

The future of construction: A wood revolution 

Learn about the benefits of building with wood

Bamboo for Change

In Narok County, Kenya, a small company is envisioning the future of bamboo products. GreenPot Enterprises, hopes to create nearly half a million jobs, restore over 100,000 hectares of degraded land across 16 counties in Kenya, and provide low-carbon household products--including construction materials–-all with bamboo.

How to Finance the Next Generation of Climate Smart Builders in East Africa

Throughout recent CSFEP coalition meetings, entrepreneur conversations, and investor calls, we’ve heard five consistent themes about how the finance sector could better support small businesses in the region. Learn more in the article.

Three key takeaways from our March meetings in Nairobi and Zanzibar

In March, CSFEP staff spent several full days meeting with Coalition members and partners in East Africa. Read our three initial takeaways.

Learning While doing: OMT’s journey to bring timber construction to East Africa

Read about OMT's journey into sustainable timber construction–and what they've learnt along the way

Why we need to talk about forests when we talk about carbon and construction

Learn how the construction industry can support ecosystems,  and local economies

Sustainable forestry and Easy Housing: Building a home for everyone 

Read about the benefits of timber homes and sustainable forestry in East Africa.

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Image credit: Easy Housing

Transitioning to a climate-smart forest economy: The 3S Framework 

Learn how decision makers can benefit from the 3S Framework

Building alliances for climate smart forest value chains and economies 

Learn about alliances in Brazil, India, and the Pacific Northwest United States

Building a climate smart forest economy in East Africa 

 Read about what a climate smart forest economy is, and what it has to offer people, nature, and climate

The Research Behind the Rise of Timber

At an August 2025 Global Learning Community session, Dorian Tung from FPInnovations in Canada and Schalk Grobbelaar from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, shared how research institutions are shaping the biobased construction industry of the future.

To Build with Mass Timber in East Africa, Start by Building Confidence in Wood

Learn about four behavioural barriers to mass timber adoption in East Africa: structural, social, informational, and psychological—and how to overcome them.

What the Global North can learn from the biobased building industry in the Global South

In February 2025, the Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) hosted a learning discussion featuring leading experts in biobased construction from the Global South. Panelists included Leander Moons (OMT Architects, Kenya), Boogie Setiawan (Bamboo Village Trust, Indonesia), and Marcus van der Hoven (Mass Timber Technologies, South Africa). Read about three key lessons that came out of the discussion.

2024: A Year of biobased construction innovations in Africa

Read three inspiring stories of progress from BOXA, Growing Timber Connections, and Easy Housing

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Image credit: Growing Timber Connections

IUFRO is heading to Nairobi, marking the first time the congress will be held in Africa

Read why this matters for African research, funding, and recognition

Safeguards: Practical tools for maximizing the benefits of climate smart forest economies

Learn how safeguards adopt a risk-based approach to prevent social and environmental harm

Imagining a climate-smart forest economy

Read about how forests can support cities and cities can support forests

Understanding the mass timber market in the US 

Read our interview with Steve Marshall of Mass Timber Strategy