Bridging the Gap: linking timber trade with infrastructural ...

commenced in 1986 have converted the command-based economy into a market-oriented economy.
Trade, exchange rates and interest rates are now fully liberalised. Public service reform has included the
privatisation of most parastatals and local governments have been strengthened through the Local
Government Reform Programme (Anon., 2000e). As a result, the country’s GDP has been increasing for
the last decade, and inflation has declined from 30% in 1995 to little more than 7.9% in 2000 (Anon.,
1999b). However, despite its high potential and progress in recent years, Tanzania continues to be ranked
amongst the five poorest countries in the world with half the population living below the locally-defined
poverty line, equivalent to USD 180 per year (Anon., 1998d).
Tanzania has a wealth of natural resources including minerals, wildlife, fisheries, forestry and beekeeping
(Anon., 2000e). The country has notably high floral and faunal species diversity and endemism (among
the 12 most biologically diverse countries in the world) and the country earns an estimated USD 70
million annually from wildlife tourism and sport hunting (Anon., 1999g). Rapid population growth and
urban migration has created land pressure in isolated areas and unsustainable utilisation of natural
resources.
Forest and woodland distribution and status
Based on 1998 records from the MNRT, Tanzania has 33.5 million hectares (ha) of forests and woodlands
that constitute approximately 36% of the total mainland area (Anon., 1998a,b; Table 4; Figure 4a). The
majority are woodlands - mostly Brachystegia-Julbernardia savanna woodland - with a smaller area
covered by montane forests, coastal forests and mangroves (Table 4; Figure 4d). Tabora, Rukwa and
Lindi Regions possess the largest areas of woodlands and forests in the country, at 5.3, 4.9 and 4.3
million ha, respectively.
Figure 4b illustrates how the average forest area per inhabitant varies across the country. Four regions
have particularly good natural forest cover of more than two ha per inhabitant, namely Lindi, Rukwa,
Tabora and Coast (i.e. including the study area). On the other hand, regions with poor natural forest
cover (less than 0.5 ha per inhabitant) included Mara, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Kilimanjaro, Kagera and
Shinyanga. These regions are currently experiencing acute scarcity of wood fuel and other forest
products and services (Anon., 2001c).
Table 4
Type, use and legal status of forests and woodlands in Tanzania
Description Area (000 ha) Total area (000 ha)
Forest type
Uses of Forest Land
Legal Status
Source: Anon. (1998a).
Montane forests 1 141
Mangrove forests 115
Woodlands 32 299
Production forest area 23 810
Protection forest area (mainly catchment areas) 9 745
Forest Reserves 12 517
Forests/woodlands in National Parks etc. 2 000
Non-reserved forest land 19 038
33 555
33 555
33 555
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