Kambai Forest Reserve: A biodiversity survey. - Coastal Forests of ...

72
Kambai Forest Reserve
village was granted a licence to obtain timber for building a bridge for the Kambai-Longuza
road.
Magati villagers told us that they obtain their subsistence needs, such as firewood, medicine
and building poles from Segoma (Kwamgumi) forest reserve rather than Semdoe because it
is nearer to them. Villagers know they are allowed to enter the forest only on one day per
week (Wednesday) to collect their subsistence needs, but the fact that they had difficulty in
remembering which day suggested that they did not obey this rule. They also commented
that one day was not enough and that two would be better.
7.3.5 Attitudes toward the forest reserve
Since many farmers in Kambai originate from other areas they are often aware of the
consequences of cutting down the forest. For example, one farmer who originates from
Iringa told us that; "the farmers cut all the trees down until there were none left which
resulted in little rain and hot winds. Because of this, the government has forced people to
plant trees and now there are many trees on farms again." Other farmers come from areas
such as Mwanza and Tabora where the situation is similar. Farmers have told us about the
land becoming infertile and eroded and women having to walk long distances for firewood.
Many of the interviewees were former pit sawers. One farmer said that he does not
continue pitsawing because most of the good timber species have already been removed
from the public land and because it is illegal to go inside the forest reserve. He said, "one
would need three eyes to get away with it. It is good to reserve forest otherwise it would be
finished." He continued, "for example, in Iringa people are suffering because there is not
enough rain and few trees are left for their uses." However, he concluded, that even though
many people know why they should not encroach on the forest, they still would if the
EUCFP guards were not there. The reason being; "it is simply a matter of money".
Often farmers see both the advantages and disadvantages of forest conservation. They may
know the advantage of forest for water catchment, but they feel that the need for agricultural
land and their subsistence and cash needs are more important than conservation. One
farmer felt disappointed in the government because he feels they are preventing his
development, since he has no more land on which to clear and farm.
One farmer suggested that fifty percent of farmers still do not know the value of the forest
and would still encroach on the forest if there were no EUCFP guards. Many have admitted
that they would cut down the forest tomorrow if they could, since they do not know the
value of conserving the forest. However, when one old man was asked how he felt about
the forest reserves, his reply was, "it is best to have EUCFP people guarding the forest,
because villagers here are only interested in making money rather than conserving." He
could not envisage the day when communities would manage and conserve the forests for
themselves without outside help.
Kwezitu villagers are beginning to be affected by deforestation and have reported their
concerns on soil erosion to EUCFP. Due to this, they have noted the need and requested
assistance to plant trees on their farms.
East Usambara Catchment Forest Project Technical Paper 35