Assessment of the biological values of different land cover types in ...

6) Resource use survey
6.1 Introduction
Most local communities in rural Tanzania depend on natural resources to support their livelihoods. In the East
Usambara Mountains, the forest resources used most frequently by the local people include fuelwood, timber,
poles, medicinal plants and food plants. The forests also provide valuable ecological services, such as
reducing soil erosion.
Resource use surveys were conducted by the survey team in the three study villages: Misalai, Shambangeda
and Kwatango. The aim of the surveys was to gather information on uses of tree-based forest products by the
local communities in the landscape. Observations during the field work and discussions with local people imply
that most people in the study villages belong to Wasambaa tribe. Most of the villagers are subsistence farmers.
The size of farm plots they own ranges from two to four acres. Most people cultivate one or more cash crop,
such as cardamom, cinnamon, sugarcane and tea, and subsistence crops, such as maize, beans, bananas
and cassava.
6.2 Methods
Interviews were conducted with selected groups of local villagers. The groups included men and women. At the
start of the interview, the researcher explained the purpose of the interview, which was to collect information on
the resources that they commonly use in the landscape. Then questions on various resource uses were asked,
which were intended to identify what the most important tree-based products and services that they commonly
use are.
6.3 Results
6.3.1 Tree-based products and services used by the local communities in Misalai
In Misalai village, the respondents mentioned 46 wild species of plant that they use within their landscape
including medicinal plants, fuelwood, timber, poles and wild fruits (table 22). Respondents also mentioned that
they obtain wild vegetables from the landscape. They explained that they obtain most of the medicinal plants
from their agroforestry plots, old fallows and nearby forests. In terms of the medicinal plants it is generally the
leaves, bark or roots of the plant that are used. The particular part of the plant can either be boiled alone or
mixed with some other ingredients to get the medicine.
Timber was obtained from the village lands, including agroforest plots. Poles were commonly obtained from the
agroforest areas. Fruits were collected from the agroforest areas and the village forests. Wild vegetables were
mainly obtained from the forests, including the village forest reserve and the agroforest plots.
Table 22. List of plant species used by local communities in the Misalai landscape.
Local name Scientific /English name Land use type Use
Mwaka Annickia kummeriae Agroforest,old Leaves used to treat soles / ulcers;
fallows
roots used to treat gonorrhea
Muuka Helichrysium sp VFR and
Leaves used to treat human foot fungi
Agroforest
and convulsions
Mkwanga Tetrapleura tetraptera Agroforest, old Leaves used as soap and roots used
fallows and mixed
farming plots
to treat flu
Mweyewana, Cajanus cajan (Pigeon peas) Agroforest, old Roots used to treat convulsions
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