Management and utilisation of miombo biodiversity: impact of refugees influx in kasulu, Tanzania

Master theses

his study was conducted in Kasulu district in Western Tanzania to assess the impact of refugees influx on the management and utilisation of miombo woodland biodiversity. Specifically, the objectives were to (a) assess the uses of and means of using forest resources by refugees and local Tanzanians, (b) compare the extent of impact resulting from harvesting woodland resources between refugees and local inhabitants and to recommend on how the means of utilisation affect sustainability issues of the forest resources. Questionnaire surveys, participant observation and forest inventories were used as tools for data collection. A total of two hundred and forty people were interviewed from two villages and two refugee camps using a pre-tested questionnaire form for the aim of getting baseline data. From each village and camp a nearby forest, which is currently a harvesting site for various Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) by local Tanzanians or refugees, was used for the inventory. In addition a forest reserve was inventoried as a control site for the other forest areas surveyed. Commonly used tree species were counted and measured for Diameter at Breast Height (DBH). Other notes were made whenever activities such as charcoaling, chalk making, logging and grazing were observed. It was witnessed during participant observation that a huge area of formally miombo woodland and mostly village forest reserves had been converted to settlements and farmlands for refugees. It was found that refugees’ harvesting sites have fewer trees/ha and smaller diameter trees compared to villagers’ forests. The reserve, village and camp forests surveyed had 738, 474 & 351stems/ha. The village forests had a higher species diversity than the other forests at 95% CI (p=0.0008). Pterocarpus angolensis, which is a valuable timber species, was found almost locally depleted with exception of few juveniles found in the village forests. It was deduced from these findings that miombo woodlands in this area are experiencing rapid deforestation due to faster rate of utilisation, hence highlighting possibilities for degrading its biodiversity. Management of these forests, which locally doesn’t have any specific interventional plans and strategies, is facing challenges. The extent of these challenges become complicated since the time for refugees repatriation is not known with certainty. There is a need to assess and redefine present ownership and management patterns and strategies as one of ways to cope with current use pressure and rehabilitate the miombo woodlands in this area. Further studies to compare this influence of massive harvest of miombo resources with places practicing subsistence harvesting of miombo resources are recommended. It is also recommended to carryout population studies for Pterocarus angolensis in Kigoma region to come up with more detailed information about its status for it is highly demanded for furniture despite its threatened status.

The Swedish Biodiversity Centre