FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION - UNEP World Conservation ...

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5.3.3 Ruvu Fuelwood Pilot Project in Coast region with JFM concepts
The Forestry and Beekeeping Division with financial support from NORAD introduced on a pilot scale Joint Forest
Management project at Ruvu Forest project in 1998, starting with a small portion of 1,900 ha in Ruvu North Forest
Reserve which has an area of around 32,000 ha.
Project goal is to increase forest cover and forest-products production in a sustainable manner in the Ruvu Forest
Reserve. Main purpose is to ensure that communities in the project area are increasingly involved and actively
participating in sustainable management and utilisation of the Forest Resources.
There are many stakeholders to the project, both in direct and indirect terms. The main stakeholders include:
• Four villages participating in the project namely: Kongowe, Mkuza, Msangani and Mwendapole.
• Government and institution stakeholders namely FBD, ICRAF, HASHI, TAFORI, Sokoine University of
Agriculture, District Councils, NGOs and CBOs.
• International Donor Agency – mainly NORAD.
Participatory local community’s initiatives in economic development through wise use of natural resources are the
main approaches of the project. To achieve the project goal and purpose, eight implementation technological
components are used. They include; extension and training to stakeholders, establishment of woodlots by individual
households, raising of tree seedlings through community efforts, community management of natural forests,
introduction and development of wood-saving technologies, promotion of beekeeping, research and networking.
The project is following directives provided by the Forest policy of 1998 and is using strategies advocated in the
National Forest Programme to enhance use of existing experiences. Analysis of the project using the FLR parameters
(Table 5) showed that the project had 5 very supportive elements to FLR, two quite supportive elements and one
neutral element (balancing of trade-offs).
5.3.4 Kilimanjaro Catchment Forest Reserve Project with JFM concepts
Administratively the project covers three districts namely Hai, Moshi and Rombo. The reserve was established in 1940
and it has an area of 107,828 ha. Prior to 1998, management of the reserve was based on policing with little
involvement of surrounding local communities. Based on the New Forest Policy of 1998, management practices of the
reserve have been modified to include improvement of local community livelihood and production of multiple forest
products. To enhance community involvement, JFM has been introduced with financial and technical assistance from
NORAD.
Analysis of the project based on ongoing JFM initiatives that were started in 1998 showed that the project had 5 very
supportive elements of FLR and 3 quite supportive elements (Table 5). In addition to water catchment, current
management plans include production of timber, biodiversity conservation, eco-tourism and production of non-wood
products to the community.
To intensify villagers’ participation, the project has assisted village governments to form village natural resource
committees. By end of August 2001, natural resource committees had been established in 60 villages, 50 PRAs studies
had been conducted and 40 villages had enacted their by-laws for enhancing community participation in managing the
Kilimanjaro Catchment Forest on JFM principles.
Project officials reported that community participation in conserving the catchment forest is good, however, they were
still experiencing few site-specific problems on wild fires, illegal timber harvesting, illegal grazing and encroachment.
Concerted efforts are ongoing between the Forestry Division and village governments to stop the identified problems.
5.3.5 West Kilimanjaro Industrial Forest Plantation
The project started way back in 1954 during the colonial period by clearing natural forests and replacing them with
exotic tree species for timber and poles production. After independence more open areas in the natural forest and those
licensed to grow pyrethrum were changed into forest plantation. The total area of the project is 6,019 ha, out of this
4,458 ha is planted with trees. Main tree species planted at the project and their cover in percentage to the total planted
area are: Cupressus lusitanica (70%), Pinus patula (20%) and Eucalyptus saligna (10%).