Udzungwa Mountains Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation (UMFM)

Country: Tanzania

Sector: Environment

National Agency: Forestry and Beekeeping Division (FBD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT)

Implementing partners: District Catchment Forest Office (DCFO) in collaboration with i.a. the District Natural Resources Office, Iringa District Council, Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa), Frontier (NGO), other NGOs, Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and research organisations.

Duration: 3 years (Phase 1)

Starting date: June 1^st 1999

Overall Budget: DKK 19.97 million ~ USD 2,9 Million

Description:

The Udzungwa Mountains' forest resources form part of the Eastern Arc Mountain range and are of economic, social and environmental importance. The forests constitute important sources of timber and non-timber forest products utilised by the local communities. These include building poles, fuelwood, household utensils, traditional medicines, honey, thatching materials and animal protein. The forest resources also provide areas of local cultural importance, constitute critical watersheds for Tanzania's hydro-electric power generation and are internationally recognised as areas of high biodiversity and endemism. Uncontrolled harvesting of forest products and ineffective forest management are the causes for the degradation of the biodiversity resources of the Udzungwa Mountains. A key element of the new Forest Policy (1998) is the emphasis placed on Joint Forest Management (JFM) based on active community participation in the protection, management and use of the Forest Reserves (FR) currently managed by the Central and Local Governments.

Phase 1 will be undertaken with a commitment of long-term follow-up support. The Component includes budgetary provision to support community development ‘micro-project' activities.

Outputs

• Two draft Joint Forest Management Agreements prepared for part of West Kilombero Scarp FR and New Dabaga-Ulangambi FR and submitted to the Director, FBD for approval.
• At least sixteen pilot community development 'micro-projects' initiated with a broad range of local communities and/or organisations in the two pilot areas.
• Additional catchment forest reserve boundaries resurveyed and protected in collaboration with local communities.
• Sub-village joint natural forest management/environmental committees established or strengthened and functioning in 8 villages.
• Two comprehensive biodiversity resource surveys conducted in 5.000 ha (West Kilombero FR) and 3.728 ha (New Dabaga-Ulangambi FR) and submitted to the Component Management Unit
• A provisional community-based forest and biodiversity resource monitoring and evaluation system, including verifiable indicators for environmental, social and economic objectives, developed in collaboration with the CMU and tested in two villages within the two pilot areas.
• Three preliminary natural forest/biodiversity research reports published.

Pilot area

The Catchment Forest Reserves selected for first phase are:

1. Part of West Kilombero Forest Reserve (5.000 ha) west of Udzungwa National Park in the Eastern part of the district. Target villages are Udekwa and Ifuwa.
2. New Dabaga/ Ulongambi Forest Reserve (3.728 ha) 50 km South of Iringa town. Targeted villages boundaring this reserve are Isele, Lulanzi, Lusinga, Ilamba, Kidabaga and Magome.

Management

The component is managed with the Natural Woodlands Management Project (NWMP) by the Joint Project Management Unit (JPMU). The two components are jointly named: MEMA; which is an abbreviation of Swahili: Matumizi Endelevu ya Misitu ya Asili (Sustainable use of natural forests).

Contact

Udzungwa Mountains Forest Management & Biodiversity Conservation (UMFM)
MEMA Projects
Natural Resources Office (Iringa District), P.O. Box 148, Iringa Tanzania
phone:+255-61-702246, direct:+255-61-700175
email: memairinga@twiga.com

Support to Research Projects under the Udzungwa Mountains Forest Management Project, Tanzania