Monitoring Forest Conditions, and Land Conversion in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and Kenya (home of the African violet)

In recent years, tree, forest and forested-catchment health has become a major concern worldwide. In response, the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters developed a program of forest health monitoring utilizing a combination of remote sensing, permanent plots and special aerial and ground survey techniques. The results provide land managers, planners, policy makers, interested communities (villages) and individuals with the status and trend information needed for making decisions. It also provides an early warning system of stresses on these forested catchments through the use of specific indictors for sustainable forests. One area in need of quality information is the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya and Tanzania.

The Eastern Arc Mountains are a chain of isolated mountains (440,000 ha) in Kenya and Tanzania that are influenced by the Indian Ocean. Much of the original forests have been converted for agricultural crops. These mountains are recognized as globally important "hot spots" "priority areas" for forest biodiversity and are major national, regional and local sources of hydropower, water and wide array of forest-based benefits and agricultural production.

In February 2000 we began a two-year evaluation of forest health, land-use change and information sharing in the Eastern Arc's. The project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Forest Service. Satellite imagery has shown significant woodland loss in the Taita Hills, 41 permanent forest health plots have been established, and a web page is in place (www.easternarc.org). Information gathered will be used to identify areas where remedial measures are most needed, and--later--whether they are working.

Only by engaging local villagers in forest policy and management decisions can the current trends be altered. Local projects are supported by the United Nations, Cross-Border Biodiversity Project, East African Wildlife Society, USAID - Tuskegee University, and World Wildlife Fund, among others. Contacts have been made and information/data shared with these projects.

The project involves Forest Service employees Denny Ward (Southern Region), Chuck Dull (WO) and Barbara O'Connell (Northeastern Research Station). Dr. Keith Douce (University of Georgia), Dr. Seif Madoffe (Sokoine University of Agriculture - Tanzania), Dr. Arthur Siaway (Tuskegee University,) Professor Joe Mwangi, deceased (Moi University - Kenya), Kamau Wakanene (National Museums of Kenya) and Gerard Hertel (West Chester University) complete the team.

For more information contact Gerry Hertel at (610) 436-0599 or by e-mail at dudukubwa@hotmail.com.   Or check out our web site at http://www.easternarc.org/

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