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Introduction
The overall objective of EUCAMP is to ensure effective conservation of forests in the East
Usambaras for preservation of biological diversity and promotion of
sustainable catchment forestry and land use management for the
benefit of local and global communities. The forests in the East
Usambaras are surrounded by more than 70 communities with over
100,000 people, who require forest products mainly for domestic use.
Thus, involvement of local communities in the management of forests
has been given a top priority in the last phase of EUCAMP. Other
social forestry activities are conducted to support the management
of natural forests by providing alternatives.
Community Based Forest Management
Joint Forest Management (JFM) and Village Forest
Management (VFM) have been identified by the National Forest
Programme to be the two main lines under community based forest
management. Joint forest management is practiced in Government
forest reserves, whereas village forest management takes place in
village forest reserves (VFR). The management planning and
implementation in JFM and VFM follow the same principles.
Each participating village selects a temporary planning team, which will
prepare a management plan and a by-law. EUCAMP gives technical
assistance to the planning team by facilitating the process. The
management plan will set the rules and procedures for the management
of the forest and the use of forest products from the reserve,
whereas the by-law will define how offenders should be handled. The
main responsibility of the overall implementation of the management
plan is usually given to a committee (e.g. environmental committee
or forest management committee), which is elected by the villagers.
The draft management plan and by-law is presented through the
village government to the village meeting and after approval they
are forwarded through the Ward Development Committee to the District
Council for final approval.
Joint forest management of central government catchment forest reserves
is tested in two forest reserves, Mtai (3,107 hectares) and Manga
(1,635 hectares), which both are in Muheza District. Mtai forest
reserve is surrounded by eight villages and Manga by three villages.
Each adjacent village is assigned a village forest management area.
The forest reserves are also divided into different zones: in the
biodiversity and catchment zones main objective is the conservation
of resources, while the utilization zone can be used according to
the rules of the management plan.
Facilitating the establishment and management planning
of village forest reserves is done in collaboration with District
Councils. Currently EUCAMP is working with five village forest
reserves: Mpanga (24 ha), Handei (156 ha), Kizingata (6 ha) and
Kizee (39 ha) in Muheza and Mfundia (786 ha) in Korogwe
District. Village forest reserve is usually owned and managed by one
village, but it can also have joint management as in the case of
Mpanga and Kizee, which both are managed by two adjacent villages.
Mfundia is surrounded by five villages, and in the near
future it will be divided into four individual reserves; three of
them managed by one village and the fourth one managed jointly by
two neighboring villages.
Farm Forestry
In order to reduce pressure on the natural forests
villagers are assisted in on-farm nursery establishment, tree
planting and management, and agroforestry. Farmers are given
technical advice and some minor input like tree seeds and polythene
tubes. Seedlings are raised by individual farmers, by groups of
farmers (women groups and mixed groups), by schools and by other
institutions (e.g. churches). For example, in 2001 there were
altogether 257 on-farm nurseries in 46 villages having a total of
236,000 tree seedlings and 91,000 seedlings of fruit trees and
spices.
Soil Conservation
Many farmers in the East Usambaras have farms on steep
slopes. Training on soil conservation measures aims at increasing
productivity of the farmland by reducing soil erosion and
introducing natural fertilizers like manure. So called
training-of-trainers –method is used in this activity, where
trained farmers are used as trainers in other villages. Also
farmers’ study tours are organized.
Energy Saving Woodstoves
In rural villages wood fuel is the main source of energy
and collecting firewood is the task of women and girls. In order to
reduce the workload of women and pressure to natural forests,
villagers are trained in building, maintaining and using energy
saving woodstoves. Most optimistic estimates by local users indicate
that these stoves can save energy up to 50%. Some models of stoves
are also contributing to the health by taking the smoke outside from
the cooking hut.
Fish Farming and Beekeeping
Illegal hunting and fishing, and collecting wild honey by
local villagers sometimes take place in forest reserves. Especially
hunting and collecting wild honey are serious threats to forests as
fire is commonly used in these activities. Fish farming and
beekeeping with modern beehives and equipment are introduced as
alternatives.
Spices Cultivation
The most valuable cash crop in the East Usambaras is cardamom, which is
cultivated under a tree cover. The most preferred site for a
cardamom field is in the natural forest. In the establishment of the
Amani Nature Reserve and the proposed Derema Forest Reserve, areas
of cardamom fields with good tree cover were included in these
reserves after agreeing with the villagers. Cultivation of other
spices, like black pepper and cinnamon as valuable cash crops to
replace cardamom cultivation has been introduced to farmers.
Gender Strategy
The programme is putting a special
emphasis on improving the participation of women in forest
conservation and engaging them in income generating
activities. A detailed gender strategy has been prepared for EUCAMP,
and the staff and the villagers are being trained in gender
relations.
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