CONSERVATION
IN TANZANIA, CONSERVATION IN THE ULUGURU MOUNTAINS, TANZANIA, EAST
AFRICA.
SOME FINDINGS OF
THE FIRST YEAR IN THE ULUGURUS.
1. Status of the Uluguru forests
The area of forest on the Ulugurus has been quantified over time. In 1955
there was over 300 sq. km of forest remaining. By 1977 this had been reduced
to 260 sq. km, and currently the forest area is around 200 sq. km. The majority
of the loss of forest has been at lower altitudes and outside of the Forest
Reserves which are providing a valuable refuge for forests on the
mountain.
Changes
in the area of forest on the Uluguru Mountains. 'Historical' is estimated
from climate and the extent of lowland forest patches which are assumed to
have been originally joined. Estimates for 1955 and 1977 are based on aerial
photographs, and for 2000 on ground surveys. 'Reserves' is an estimate of
the minimum forest area if the present reserves are
maintained.
Some of the species of
the Ulugurus are known to favour the lower altitude forest (700-1500 m) which
has been most heavily lost during the past 45 years. This includes the endemic
Uluguru Bush Shrike
(see Picture).
Its population must have declined over the past decades.
The project has also been undertaking a survey of the Forest Reserve boundary
of the Uluguru North Forest Reserve and is quantifying the degree of disturbance
in different forests. These data will be made available on this site in the
future.
Forest Reserves of the Ulugurus, with notes on their current
status
| Name of Forest Reserve | Owner- ship |
Establish- ment |
Area in hectares | Brief description of the vegetation and status of the reserve |
| BUNKUKI I-III | CFR |
Cap.132 1950 |
111.0 |
Plantation and natural forest. Plantation is being logged on licence. |
| BUNDUKI IV | CFR |
Cap.132 1950 |
6.1 |
Plantation and natural forest. Plantation is being logged on licence. |
| BUNDUKI V | CFR |
Cap.132 1950 |
3.7 |
Plantation and natural forest. Plantation is being logged on licence. |
| BUNDUKI VI | CFR |
Cap.132 1950 |
2.6 |
Plantation and natural forest. Plantation is being logged on licence. |
| CHAMANYANI | CFR |
Cap. 132 1950 |
796.0 |
Mainly woodland with a few riverine forest strips. A little tree cutting. |
| KASANGA | CFR |
1907 |
70.0 |
Mainly a plantation, but with some natural forest regrowth. Being looged and farmed. |
| KIMBOZA | CFR |
1907 |
385.9 |
Some natural forest and some plantation. Joint Forsest Management experiments here. |
| MINDU | CFR |
CFR |
2285.0 |
Outlying Hill west of Ulugurus. Mainly woodland with a little forest on the top. Some damage from cutting. |
| MKUNGWE | CFR |
1954 |
1966.8 |
Outlying Hill east of Ulugurus. Lowland to sub-montane forest in good condition. Some new pitsawing. |
| MVUHA | CFR |
Cap 132 1950 |
851.6 |
Mainly woodland with a few riverine forest strips. A little tree cutting. |
| NYANDIDUMA | CFR |
Cap. 132 1950 |
47.8 |
A plantation of Eucalyptus which is being cut. |
| NYANDIRA | CFR |
German |
194.8 |
A plantation of Eucalyptus which is being cut. |
| PALANGWE EAST | CFR |
1963 |
768.5 |
Woodland which burns every year. Not valuable for water catchment. |
| PALANGWE WEST | CFR |
1963 |
184.0 |
Woodland which burns ever year. Not valuable for water catchment |
| RUVU | CFR |
1955 |
3093.5 |
Woodland and lowland forest. A lot of mining damage and some tree cutting. |
| SHIKURUFUMI | CFR |
1948 |
260.0 |
Plantation and secondary forest. |
| ULUGURU NORTH | CFR |
German and 1961 |
8356.7 |
Large area of submontane to upper montane forest. Farmland encroachment and illegal hunting, pitsawing and fuel and pole gathering. |
| ULUGURU SOUTH | CFR |
German |
17292.7 |
Large area of montane to upper montane forest with some grasslands. Farmland encroachment and illegal hunting, pitsawing and fuel and pole gathering. |
| VIGOZA | CFR |
Cap. 132 1950 |
9.3 |
Former plantation, now cleared and farmed. |
| MANGALA | DFR |
?1968 |
34.8 |
Local authority reserve largely managed by the village with lowland forest under threat from conversion to farmland |
| MILAWILILA | DFR |
?1968 |
Local authority reserve largely managed by the village with lowland forest under threat from conversion to farmland | |
| NGAMBAULA | DFR |
?1968 |
Local authority reserve largely managed by the village with lowland forest under threat from conversion to farmland | |
| NGURU YA NDEGE | DFR |
1962 |
38190.3 |
Outlying Hill west of Ulugurus. Mainly woodland with a little forest on the top. Lots of damage from timber, charcoal, fuelwood and pole cutting. |
| KONGA | Village | 1910 |
5.3 |
Degazetted and now managed by the village. Good lowland patch, with some tree cutting. |
Key. CFR = Catchment Forest Reserve managed by the central government Forest and Beekeeping Division Catchment Forestry Project. DFR = Local Authority Forest Reserve managed by the local government Morogoro Rural District. Village = a former Forest Reserve which has been degazetted, but which still contains forest.
Forest cover
in 1955 in the vicinity of Uluguru North (top), Bunduki (middle) and Uluguru
South (bottom) Catchment Forest Reserves. Forest is now almost confined to
the Forest Reserves, except on the southern margin of Uluguru South, and
some fragments.
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Background
Geographical Placement
Biological Importance
Species
DOF Project Activities
Other Conservation Values of the
Ulugurus Some Findings of the First Year
in the Uluguru Status of Uluguru Forests
Status of Uluguru Biodiversity
Eco-Tourism
Tree Planting
Agricultural Improvement
Education
Publications
Emerging Issues
Downloadable Papers & Articles
Contact Details