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Eastern Arc Mountains Forests of Tanzania to connect Kilombero with Uzungwa Scarp proposed Nature Reserve in the south-west. The National Park is the largest and has the greatest altitudinal range of any protected area within the Eastern Arc Mountains. Uzungwa Scarp Nature Reserve Outstanding universal value The Udzungwa Mountains hold 221 (40%) of the 554 plant taxa endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains. Thus, they are the most important block with respect to Eastern Arc Mountain endemic plants. A total of 144 taxa (14% of Eastern Arc Mountain endemics) are restricted to the Udzungwa Mountains, of which 6 species are recorded only from Uzungwa Scarp proposed Nature Reserve. Endemic species restricted in their distribution (unique) to this site: Family Species Authority Ancistrocladaceae Ancistrocladus tanzaniensis Cheek & Frim. Rubiaceae Coffea kihansiensis A.P. Davis & Mvungi Ebenaceae Diospyros uzungwaensis Frim. & Ndang. Balsaminaceae Impatiens uzungwaensis Grey-Wilson & Frim Triuridaceae Kihansia lovettii Cheek Triuridaceae Kupea jonii Cheek The Udzungwa Mountains hold 44 (37%) of the 118 vertebrate species endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains, which is more than any other mountain block. A total of 19 endemic vertebrate species (16%) are restricted to the Udzungwa Mountains, of which 6 threatened species of amphibians are recorded only from Uzungwa Scarp proposed Nature Reserve. Endemic species restricted in their distribution (unique) to this site: Group Species Threat status Amphibians Hyperolius kihangensis EN Amphibians Hyperolius kihangensis EN Amphibians Nectophrynoides asperginis CR Amphibians Nectophrynoides poyntoni CR Amphibians Nectophrynoides wendyae CR Threatened species within the Udzungwa Mountains include 50 vertebrates, of which 37 species are found in the Uzungwa Scarp proposed Nature Reserve, including 22 endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains. Protection and management of OUV Legal provisions for protection: Buffer zones: The north eastern side of the reserve is buffered by woodland which could be managed as a buffer zone through participatory forest management. On the western side of the reserve there is the potential for buffer zone activities including tree planting and agroforestry. Other provisions: Detailed research has been carried out into the feasibility of establishing a corridor between the proposed Uzungwa Scarp Nature Reserve and the Kilombero Nature Reserve to the north-east via the ‘Mngeta Corridor’, which comprises natural vegetation. This corridor is currently used for farming activities by Mhanga, Uluti, Itonya, Mngeta, Mchombe and Mkangawalo villages. Integrity with respect to OUV Uzungwa Scarp is the fourth largest protected area within the Eastern Arc Mountains, after Udzungwa Mountains National Park (199,000 ha), Kilombero Nature Reserve (134,511 ha) and, not included in the nominated property, Ukwiva Forest Reserve (78,780 ha). Once linked by the Mngeta Corridor to Kilombero Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism 74
Eastern Arc Mountains Forests of Tanzania Nature Reserve (St John 2008), which abuts Udzungwa Mountains National Park, it will be part of the largest forested block within the Udzungwa Mountains as well as the entire Eastern Arc Mountains system. 3.b Proposed Statement of Outstanding Universal Value The Eastern Arc Mountains, encompassing an area of some 23,000 km 2 , are part of the Eastern Afromontane hotspot, one of 34 of the world’s richest places for biodiversity that are under continuing extreme threat of loss of their original vegetation. This arc of mountains is geologically ancient, dating back at least 30 million years and possibly 100 million years, and individual blocks are isolated from each other, with the result that they have played an important role as refugia for plants and animals, and as centres of speciation over the millennia. The Eastern Arc Mountains and Forests of Tanzania property proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List is a series of 9 protected areas within 6 of the 13 blocks that comprise the Eastern Arc Mountains, as follows: Serial site Mountain Block Amani Nature Reserve East Usambara Nilo Nature Reserve East Usambara Mkingu Proposed Nature Reserve Nguru Chome Proposed Nature Reserve South Pare Kilombero Nature Reserve Udzungwa Udzungwa Mountains National Park Udzungwa Uzungwa Scarp Proposed Nature Udzungwa Uluguru Reserve Nature Reserve Uluguru Magamba Proposed Nature Reserve West Usambara These 9 sites encompass a total area of 451,365 ha, which represents approximately 20% of the Eastern Arc Mountains and includes at least 50% of the remaining 3,500 km 2 of forest. The sites have been selected for inclusion in the nomination as being, on the basis of current knowledge, universally outstanding examples of evolutionary and biogeographical processes, as well as having a wealth of species of plants and animals (vertebrates) that are endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains and in numerous cases endemic to an individual site within the serial property. This serial property is nominated on the basis of the following criteria: Criterion (ix) The property features important biological refugia, having numerous endemic taxa representing ancient lineages that have survived millions of years of climatic fluctuations elsewhere on the African continent, as well as being centres of more recent speciation and radiation. For example, all of the world’s African violet (Saintpaulia) species are located in the forests of these mountains and many are endemic to the area. DNA analysis has shown that the property provides a globally important record of the evolution of life on earth, especially for ancient groups of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians having 30 million year old and older radiations. Such evidence is based on there being at least 40 genera of plants and at least 6 genera of vertebrates that are endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains. The endemism comprises both newly evolved species and ancient relicts that have their origins in prehistoric times when a continuous swathe of forest was present across the whole of tropical Africa. This unique biogeography of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and its disjunct nature in patches that are elevated above the surrounding landscape, give patterns in species distributions and range that are akin to true islands, causing it to be dubbed as 'The Galapagos of Africa'. Criterion (x) Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism 75
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