Mlinga Forest Reserve: a biodiversity survey. - Coastal Forests of ...

Mlinga Forest Reserve
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Table 3 Land use distribution (Johansson and Sandy, 1996).
Mlinga Forest Reserve
Area % of area
(hectares)
Dense Lowland forest 419.0 49.9
Poorly Stocked Lowland forest 198.5 23.6
Cultivation under Lowland forest 4.8 0.6
Dense Submontane forest 47.4 5.6
Barren land 77.0 9.2
Peasant cultivation 92.7 11.0
Total 839.4 100
3.1.5 History and Status
There has been human pressure in the East Usambara Mountains for at least 2000 years. In
the 19 th Century it appears populations were markedly lower in the East Usambara Mountains
relative to the West Usambara Mountains with much of the area remaining forested.
Mlinga FR is one of the most recently gazetted forest reserves within the East Usambara
mountains. Mlinga FR was gazetted in 1996 primarily to protect the headwaters of Mruka (a
tributary of the Sigi) and Mkulumuzi Rivers and to conserve the interesting forest and rocky
summit surrounding Mlinga peak (Hamilton, 1989).
Before Tanzanian independence (1961), the forest surrounding Mlinga peak was successfully
protected traditionally. Large animals such as lion, leopard, Colobus monkey, bush pig and
duiker once roamed the hillsides of Mlinga. Primarily a famous mkilindi (special elder)
looked after the forest, with the aim of worshipping, extracting medicine, water and for other
cultural beliefs. Cutting trees, setting fires, hunting, cultivation and grazing were restricted
within the forest. People believed that the forest would punish anyone harming it. People were
scared to harvest trees and hunt animals for fear of their life. Myth said that they would lose
their path out of the forest if they were to cut a tree or kill an animal (pers. comm. Mzee
Semwaza, Mwembene village and Woodcock, 1995).
Mlinga forest quality and expanse began to decline following independence, as a consequence
of population growth and immigration. Cardamom (Illeteria cadamon) cultivation, extraction
of valuable timber such as Milicia excelsa (Moraceae), Afzelia quanzensis (Caesalpinoideae)
and Albizia species (Mimosoideae) and fire were the most serious threats.
The inaccessible nature of Mlinga FR meant that mechanical logging was limited to lowland
areas. No logging roads were visible within the forest reserve. Pitsawing, and the extraction of
non-timber forest products such as poles, medicines, fibres and honey were commonplace,
particularly before gazettment.
Since gazettment, the forest has continued to be used for the collection of cultural resources
and worshipping. Regular and extensive fires in recent years have occurred within the Forest
Reserve and have significantly reduced the quality and expanse of closed forest habitat.
In comparison with other Forest Reserves in the East Usambara mountains, little research has
been conducted within Mlinga FR. This survey is the first comprehensive, systematic and
comparable survey of all accessible parts of the forest reserve.
East Usambara Conservation Area Management Programme Technical Paper 56