This solution is about the management effectiveness of protected forest areas. It identifies the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) as an appropriate tool for identifying priorities for action in enhancing the management effectiveness of protected forest areas. The Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia (WECSZ) applied the IMET in the Mafinga Hills Forest Reserve, which provided an opportunity to create awareness about the reserve and inform decisions on potential improvements for management effectiveness. Mafinga Hills Forest Reserve is a protected forest area designated mainly for the protection of the Luangwa River headwaters, one of the four main river systems that drain Zambia. Illegal logging, frequent bush fires, and unsustainable agriculture practises are the main challenges addressed by this solution.