FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION - UNEP World Conservation ...

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• The replacement of natural forests by exotic plantations and establishment of monoculture plantations will be
minimised
• Principles of multiple-use forest inventories will be developed and biodiversity conservation and management
guidelines incorporated in the management plans of industrial plantations
• Local communities will be encouraged to participate in management of industrial plantations through JFM and
management of un-reserved forest areas through CBFM.
• Management of industrial plantation will incorporate other land uses like wildlife, eco-tourism, environmental
conservation, beekeeping etc through co-ordinated strategic planning.
• EIA will be conducted for all industrial plantations to halt pressure that reduces forest functionality.
• Helping villagers (communities) to select and set aside degraded and village forested areas to be conserved and
managed as village forests.
Experience has shown that many of the causes to forest degradation and deforestation in Tanzania emanate from nonforest
sectors, such as agriculture, livestock, land use, energy, minerals and others. Effective conservation of forests
therefore requires cooperation of other sectors. To enhance, multi-sectoral cooperation in conservation of forests a total
of 13 national sector policies and three overall national development strategies were analysed using a pre-prepared
logical framework as a tool. Initiatives of implementing the forest policy were also analysed, covering the National
Forestry Programme and seven specific field forestry projects in Lindi, Coast and Kilimanjaro regions.
Results of the analysis showed that most sector policies and overall national development strategies support FLR as a
component of poverty eradication and improvement of livelihood. On going initiatives within the National Forest
Programme and the specific forestry projects analysed also support FLR at different levels. However, some weaknesses
in support of FLR parameters on consideration of landscape approach and restoration of forest functions were noticed
within the national forest programme categories on establishment of industrial plantation and tree growing in farmland
on agro-forestry.
Main conclusions of the study based on results and lessons learnt include:
• Overall national development strategies, sector policies and on going forestry initiatives to implement the forest
policy of 1998 have strong supporting elements to FLR.
• Consideration of forest functions within the concepts of FLR will intensify contribution of the forestry sector to
national priorities of eradicating poverty and environmental conservation. It will also support the priority sectors of
agriculture, health, nutrition, education, water and transport to achieve their development goals.
Recommendations for the way forward to promote FLT include:
• Concerted efforts by all stakeholders are required to fully utilise the existing opportunities for introducing and
promoting FLR in Tanzania as a component of achieving national socio-economic development priorities.
• The few constraints identified provide a starting challenge for introducing FLR. It is recommended to find
solutions to the constraints through community participation, multi-sectoral co-operation and adoption of efficient
resource utilisation technologies.
• Understanding and considering the different functions of forest services and products to society economic and
social development by managers, planners, politicians and users of forests will enhance implementation of FLR.
An important starting point for FLR is to integrate forest functions into policies, both economic and environmental
policies at village to national level. Policy makers and planners in the different sectors with policies supporting
sustainable conservation of natural resources should be in the forefront in devising systems of forest valuation and
contribute in creating awareness on the realistic value of forests to livelihood and poverty reduction.
• Awareness creation on FLR could intensify informed consensus by stakeholders on forest functions and its
contribution to enhanced human well being and poverty eradication.
• Knowledge and recognition of forest conservation taking the landscape approach was observed to be low in six
sector policies namely agriculture/livestock, fishery, energy, women development and gender, mineral and youth.
Efforts are therefore required to intensify awareness of sector policy makers and planners on the concept of
managing natural resources taking into account the landscape approach.