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

Mgambo Forest Reserve
3.1.4 Land use
The latest survey of the area was carried out by Hyytiäinen (1995), and updated by Johansson and
Sandy (1996). The most common habitat found within Mgambo FR from this survey was recorded
as poorly stocked lowland forest (Table 3).
Figure 1 View from Mgambo FR ridgetop looking westwards to the West Usambaras.
Table 3 Land use distribution
(Johansson and Sandy, 1996).
Mgambo PFR (‘proposed’ FR at time of consideration)
Lowland forest:
Area
(hectares)
% of area
Poorly Stocked forest 1295.0 96.2
Cultivation under forest 51.0 3.8
Total 1346.0 100%
3.1.5 History and Status
There has been human pressure in the East Usambara Mountains for at least 2000 years. In the
19 th Century it appears populations were markedly lower in the East Usambara Mountains relative
to the West Usambara Mountains with much of the area remaining forested.
Since gazettment, the Mgambo FR has continued to be used for the collection of cultural resources
and worshipping. Regular and extensive fires and grazing practices in recent years have occurred
within the Forest Reserve and have significantly reduced the quality and expanse of closed forest
habitat.
In comparison with other Forest Reserves in the East Usambara Mountains, little research has
been conducted within Mgambo FR. This survey is the first comprehensive, systematic and
comparable survey of all accessible parts of the forest reserve.
East Usambara Conservation Area Management Programme Technical Paper 59
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