Although the Mount Mulanje Forest Reserve has been officially protected since 1927, severe deforestation and degradation have taken place. This has had a direct effect on the sharp decline of species like the Mulanje Cedar tree and the Mulanje chameleon, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The project will restore the reserve with montane forests and miombo, and job opportunities and sustainable livelihood schemes will be created for the thousands of families here.