Survey and Inventory of Amani Botanical Garden -
Recommendations for Rehabilitation of the ABG

1. The legal land tenure (title deeds or other legal proof) of the NIMR - ARC area which is within ABG and included in Enclave I in the Amani Nature Reserve Map, should be investigated before any decisions are made.



2. If there is no legal title to the land negotiations should be continued with NIMR - ARC on the possibility of full or partial relocation to enable a revival and re-planting of the disturbed blocks and compartments. At the same time a process of gazetting these areas to be included in the ABG and consequently also into the Amani Nature Reserve area should be initiated.



3. Disturbed and open areas or areas with dead trees in ABG in formerly Amani West and East Forest Reserves should be replanted.



4. All temporary pegs established during the survey determining the blocks and compartments and their numbers and boundaries should be rapidly and carefully replaced by permanent written signboards.



5. The East Usambara Catchment Forest Project is advised to visit the problematic, intensively encroached areas in the north and south of ABG.  These are the areas affected by the Migombani, Kwamshinde and Amani/Bondeni villages. A decision whether to follow up the proposed surveyed boundary which is not yet demarcated and to eliminate the crops, or to follow up the first previous proposed boundary (according to Greenway) which would probably call for crop and other compensations. In fact, those who have encroached know that they have taken over those areas illegally.  So they are probably willing to leave the areas if some compensation is considered.
   
   Similarly another trip could be done to the north side and Dodwe River in the NIMR-ARC area where the Roman Catholic church has been recently built to check their request for that area and the additional area, together one hectare, for vegetable garden etc. beside the Dodwe River. The new Church building probably has to remain as it is, but all other garden and farming beside the Dodwe River should be stopped and keep at least 150 m from the river.



6. During the survey work only blocks and compartments with their tree plantations or indigenous species were identified. Unfortunately it was rather difficult for the survey crew to calculate or predict in which year tree plantations were made for each compartment, though for other blocks, compartments, or plots, still old trees were sometimes found. So, a follow-up could be made in the future at least to have proper data on the tree plantation schedules.



7. Through the whole field survey the ABG external boundaries were kept as they originally were and only necessary alterations were done (see item No. 2.1.1, Table I and Map 2).



8. As long as the other good indigenous forest is already protected and included within the Amani Nature Reserve, then it would be worthy to have the ABG boundaries marked separately from the Amani Nature Reserve.

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