Neil D. Burgess, Paul Harrison, Peter Sumbi, James Laizer, Adam ...

MANAGEMENT ISSUES: TANZANIA’S COASTAL FORESTS 2011
The National Protected Areas Board (NPA Board) has been established as a consultative authority to
provide policy guidance in the designation, management and coordination of protected areas system in
Zanzibar. The Board draws members from various disciplines, including environment, forestry, fisheries,
local government, finance, women groups, tourism and trade as well as a number of prominent Zanzibar
scientists. In undertaking its duties, the newly constituted Board is seriously constrained by the lack of
appropriate expertise, facilities and equipment within Zanzibar. The Board itself has inadequate
experience, and few linkages with other regional and international networks. This board is now being
reactivated through the support of the ongoing GEF coastal forests project for Tanzania
4.2.2 Mainland Tanzania
On mainland Tanzania the Tanzanian National Environmental Action Plan (United Republic of Tanzania
1994) identified six major environmental problems: land degradation; lack of accessible, good quality
water for both urban and rural inhabitants; pollution; loss of wildlife habitats; deterioration of marine
and freshwater systems; and deforestation. The National Environment Policy (1997), as an umbrella
instrument, defines in broad terms the sectoral obligations and requirements for biodiversity
conservation. This policy aims “to achieve sustainable development that maximizes the long-term
welfare of both present and future generations of Tanzanians”.
In response to environmental problems, Tanzania has made considerable progress in achieving
sustainable environmental management through putting in place Environmental Management Act No.
20 of 2004 (EMA 2004) and the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP 2005) in
which environmental issues have been mainstreamed. In addition, the National Environmental Action
Plan 2006 (NEAP), Local Government Reforms Programme, National Development Vision 2025 and
sector specific policies, legislations, programmes and strategies do all reflect important environmental
management issues.
The government of Tanzania, being a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Convention since 1992, developed a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) in 2001 as
an obligation to the country as Contracting Party. The NBSAP is guided by the overall vision which is to
build a society that values all the biodiversity richness using it sustainably and equitably while taking the
responsibility for actions that meet both the competing requirements of the present and the legitimate
claims of the future generations
The Government of Tanzania is also committed to related conventions such as Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD) and the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) for the conservation and sustainable
utilization of biological diversity.
The Forest Policy of Tanzania (1998) establishes a framework for the conservation of biological diversity
through participatory forest management, decentralization and privatization and recognizes the roles of
local communities and the private sector in managing forest resources. Implementation of the Forest
Policy is through the National Forest Act (2002) and the National Forest Programme of the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Tourism (2001).
The National Forest Programme was launched in 2001 and aims to reduce poverty through increasing
employment in forest based industries by 25% by 2010 and increasing the income generated from forest
resources and services that is retained by local communities by 20% by 2010. The Tanzania Forest
Conservation and Management Programme (TFCMP) have been financing implementation of the
National Forest Programme and the institutional strengthening of national forestry sector agencies and