Indigenous trees and shrubs of Mgori Forest Reserve in Central Tanzania:
utilization and conservation status
Neduvoto Mollel, Elina Macha, W.J.Kindeketa & E.I. Mboya
Plant Protection Division, Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, P O Box 3024, Arusha
TANZANIA
Mgori Forest Reserve is one of the community-based forests in Tanzania, managed by five surrounding villages. It represents a buffer zone between pastoralists, shifting cultivators, hunters and gatherers and track connecting administrative centres of Singida and Kondoa. The need of well-planned conservation arose due to ways forests trees and shrubs are used without replacement. Furthermore there is limited availability of information about use and identity of species. Such information would assist District authorities and local communities in conservation management. The objective of this work was to assess forest conservation status, collect species specimens, and identify their names, uses and human disturbances during year 2001. Inventory survey was conducted with interviews, direct observations, collection and identification of species. The forest is mainly miombo woodland with patches of thicket, shrubland, bushland, grassland, swamps, and farmland, lying within Rift Valley, an area of 400 km². Among 492 species identified, multipurpose trees and shrubs were 257.
Conservation status is good in protected areas except Pohama Village Forest Reserve where Julbernardia and Brachystegia species are debarked for beehives, etc. Other destructive activities are farmland extension, late fire burning caused by honey harvesters, etc. Presence of sub villages in the forest should be reconsidered and follow-up for fire line control strengthened.
This poster was accidentally omitted from the printed Proceedings.
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