Frontier Tanzania Environmental Research REPORT 110 ...

Kazimzumbwi Forest Reserve
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forest areas within the reserve. Scrub forest exists on plateau areas and indicates past clearance of
the area (most probably for cultivation and settlement). These areas are currently under pressure
from animal traps set mostly for small antelope. Brachystegia forest and Grassland areas also
indicate past clearance (again for cultivation and settlement) and both show evidence of past
charcoal production and are currently affected by the presence of human footpaths. Brachystegia
forest also suffers from timer extraction, with recent pitsaws being found. Grassland areas show
signs of fire damage.
5.5.3 PRIORITIES FOR MANAGEMENT
Heavy disturbance has resulted in the introduction of secondary vegetation into remaining forest.
This has not only diminished the biological value of the forest, but has introduced the risk of fires
and further damage. Protection from fire and further exploitation may, however, allow the regrowth
of forest e.g. woodland giving way to young forest regrowth. Degraded forest and
subsequent thickets often preserve components of previous forest communities (Sheil, 1992).
Such habitats were found in Kazimzumbwi FR, which therefore needs to be protected.
If community use of the forest is presently impossible to effectively control with the resources
available, ‘acceptable levels’ of extraction or forest decline have to be set and local communities
encouraged to manage the forest for themselves.
Action is required to decrease intensities of extraction in disturbance hotspots to prevent complete
depletion of resources. Two forest guards were trained in biodiversity survey techniques during
the present survey. More training is required and a cheap yet effective monitoring system
designed to monitor changes in resource use in the field.
Continued efforts to work with local communities to manage their own forest resources are
required and more intensive efforts needed to develop resource alternatives outside the forest.
Additonal surveys are also required in order to assess biodiversity and conservation issues in the
south and south-west of Kazimzumbwi FR. Agricultural encroachment is particuclarly evident in
this area of the reserve (Clarke & Dickinson 1995) and therefore possibly also other forms of
human disturbance are too.
Frontier-TanzaniaCoastal Forest Research Programme