Home Institution

University of Puget Sound

Publication Date

Spring 2011

Program Name

Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology

Abstract

This study was conducted over the course of 16 days between April 8th and 28th in Kizanda village, which borders the protected Baga Government Forest Reserve, in the West Usambara Mountains in Northern Tanzania. The goals of this study were to investigate the actual sources of fuelwood and polewood reported by the people of Kizanda village, to determine if these sources offer a sufficient amount of fuelwood and polewood, and to identify possible sustainable alternatives to wood products from the Baga Government Forest Reserve and other protected forest areas near Kizanda village. Key informant interviews (n = 9) and 151 structured interviews were completed with the help of a translator. Respondents for structured interviews were chosen non-randomly and biomass data was only collected if the interviewee (n = 34) was willing to show the location of trees that would be used for fuelwood and/or polewood. Results show that the majority (66% (100/151)) of the respondents utilized wood that was collected from the forest. More than half (56% (17/31)) of the respondents that were willing to allow the trees they would use for wood to be measured only had enough wood to last them for less that 15 weeks. The greater part (82% (105/128)) of respondents who stated that they did not have enough wood said that tree seedlings to plant amongst their crops or in woodlots would be the most helpful for them to gain access to a sufficient amount of wood. Based off of these finding it can be seen that the majority of the respondents do not have enough wood available from legal sources and are therefore resorting to the nearby Baga Government Forest Reserve, Mazumbai University Forest or other forested areas in order to collect a sufficient amount of wood. If the rural populations in Tanzania are not given alternatives to wood from these highly valued areas, the detrimental effects of wood collection on the forests within the country will continue to degrade these regions that are essential for the people, flora, and fauna that live throughout the nation.

Disciplines

Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Natural Resources Management and Policy

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