Mgambo Forest Reserve: A biodiversity survey. - Eastern Arc ...

Mgambo Forest Reserve
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these two disturbances are linked as herdsmen light fires to obtain new grasses for their animals to
graze on. During the course of the survey, stock, and evidence of stock, was frequently observed
in the reserve. This high level of disturbance must result in substantial detrimental effects on floral
diversity.
Pole cutting was more concentrated around forest borders with an average of cut poles at 4% of
the total per hectare. Timber extraction was fairly low and also tended to occur near forest borders
around Daluni and Bwiti villages. The intensity of pole and timber extraction was, along all
transects, much less than the number of dead poles and timber.
A total of 17% of poles and 18% of all timber sampled were dead. This was a high figure,
compared with other East Usambara forest reserves and is likely to be directly influenced by the
high levels of fire disturbance in the reserve.
There was virtually no signs of old cultivation except for one old shamba area which had only
recently been designated as inside the reserve.
There was some recent and some old pitsawing evidence. As pitsawing is largely confined to the
riverine and lowland forest habitats where the few larger trees remain, this may be of some
concern to Mgambo’s small relatively undisturbed areas.
Only one area in Mgambo FR was seen to have animal traps, this was a disturbed scrub habitat
close to Mgambo village. The traps were likely set to target duiker species. The lack of large
mammal sightings and signs, and local knowledge suggests that hunting activity was substantial in
recent times.
East Usambara Conservation Area Management Programme Technical Paper 59