USDA Forest Service Technical Assistance Trip

Watershed Assessment of the Ugalla Landscape

August 18 – September 1, 2007

Sherry Hazelhurst Derek Milner Hydrologist Soil Scientist Washington Office Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. 2468 Jackson Street Washington, D.C. 20250 Laramie, WY 82070 (202)205-1093 (307)745-2427 [email protected] [email protected]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank USAID, Africare, Ugalla Community Landscape Conservation Project (UCLCP), and USDA Forest Service International Programs for the planning and logistical support of the team through all phases of this mission. Special thanks go to Alfred Kalaghe, Shidumu Mawi, Raphael Mapa, and Mike Chaveas.

i LIST OF ACRONYMS

GIS Geographic Information System MOU Memorandum of Understanding NGO Non-governmental Organization UCCP Ugalla Community Conservation Project UCLCP Ugalla Community Landscape Conservation Project UGR Ugalla Game Reserve UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees USAID United States Agency for International Development USDA United States Department of Agriculture USFS IP United States Forest Service International Programs WMA Wildlife Management Area

ii TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION...... 1 2. EXISTING CONDITION ...... 1 2.1 Ugalla Landscape ...... 1 2.2 Climate...... 2 2.3 Geology, Landform and Soils...... 4 2.4 Hydrology...... 5 2.5 Vegetation...... 8 3. ISSUES ...... 9 3.1 Encroachment and Deforestation...... 9 3.2 Sustainable Development ...... 10 3.3 Forest Reserve and Wildlife Management Area Conservation...... 11 3.4 Community Outreach and Education ...... 11 3.5 Future Development...... 11 4. RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES...... 12 4.1 Immediate Actions...... 12 4.2 Long Term Actions ...... 13 4.3 Perpetual Actions ...... 15 5. FUNDING IMPLICATIONS...... 15 6. POTENTIAL FUTURE ROLE FOR USFS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ...... 15 REFERENCES...... 17 APPENDIX A: SCOPE OF WORK ...... 18

iii PREFACE: SCOPE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

The US Forest Service International Programs (USFS IP), within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), has a long history of promoting sustainable forest management and the conservation of biodiversity in . USFS IP provides targeted technical assistance by working in collaboration with host-country government forest and natural resource management institutions, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The USFS has a well established history of providing technical support to USAID on projects around the world. In Africa, the USFS is active in over 20 countries, providing assistance on a wide variety of topics, including sustainable use of forest resources, fire prevention and suppression, information management, landscape scale land use planning, protected area management, and institutional strengthening and reform. More information on USFS programs in Africa can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/global/globe/africa/welcome.htm.

In , the USFS IP is an implementing partner to USAID/Tanzania’s Natural Resources Management program, which aims to conserve biodiversity in targeted landscapes through a livelihood driven approach. The role of the USFS in this program is as a provider of targeted technical and capacity building assistance aimed at assisting lead implementing NGOs and government partners on each of the landscapes to improve natural resource management.

The Ugalla landscape is one of four focal landscapes for USAID under this program, and Africare is the lead implementing partner. The USFS is collaborating with Africare to provide technical assistance to ongoing natural resources management projects on this landscape.

The focus of the USFS initial mission to the Ugalla landscape from 20-31 August 2007 was to perform a rapid assessment of the overall health of the ecosystem’s watershed, noting effective management measures and biodiversity conservation essential to improving the livelihoods of local people. This USFS technical assistance team consisted of Sherry Hazelhurst (Hydrologist, Washington Office) and Derek Milner (Soil Scientist, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests). The specific objectives for this initial USFS mission to the UCLCP were to: 1) Provide technical assistance to Africare, and their Tanzanian government and non-government partners in performing a rapid assessment of the region’s watersheds and hydrologic systems. 2) Assess the current conditions of the Ugalla ecosystem’s watersheds in and around the game reserve, wildlife management areas, and forest reserves, identifying primary threats to the quality and quantity of river flows, impacts current and potential future degradation may have on the people, forest resources and wildlife of the region, and offer recommendations on mitigation measures for these threats. 3) Provide insight and recommendations on future and more long term studies and monitoring activities which will be needed to effectively assess the health of the water resources of the area.

iv 1. INTRODUCTION

The Ugalla landscape is located in west-central Tanzania and represents an important forested ecosystem that links a series of key wildlife habitats in East Africa. The region is home to a large diversity of wildlife and includes a portion of the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar site, one of the largest and most important wetlands in the country and continent. This ecosystem is also of high importance in supporting local human populations who rely on the region for their livelihoods such as grazing of domestic livestock, agriculture, fishing, hunting, beekeeping and harvesting of forest products.

The ecosystem encompasses the Ugalla River drainage basin which includes the Ugalla Game Reserve (UGR), the Uyumbu and Ipole Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), and 26 Forest Reserves. The UGR contains a rich diversity of wildlife, provides dry season habitat and occupies a strategic node for wildlife movement in western Tanzania. This complex of protected areas including game controlled areas and forest reserves with UGR at the core represents the largest functioning wildlands/wildlife complex in western Tanzania. Its preservation is nationally important due to the economic revenue generated from hunting blocks. Additionally, the game reserve supports animals in adjacent WMAs which benefits communities financially and nutritionally thorough controlled hunting opportunities.

Africare’s objective in implementing the UCLCP is to develop partnerships with local populations in the Ugalla landscape to: 1) Implement community based conservation projects aimed at improving the management of natural resources in the region ; 2) Provide alternative income generating activities for local peoples; and 3) Help local communities benefit directly from the presence of game reserves and WMAs in the ecosystem.

Based on these objectives, this assessment presents key issues for effectively managing the Ugalla ecosystem and subsequent recommendations to consider for achieving desired outcomes. The report is organized to describe the existing conditions, context of the issues, recommended activities, funding implications, and potential future USFS assistance.

2. EXISTING CONDITION

2.1 Ugalla Landscape The Ugalla landscape encompasses three districts within the region (Sikonge, Urambo, Uyui) as well as part of the Mpanda district, Rukwa region (Figure 1). Population within the Landscape was approximately 1.5 million as of the 2002 census. Intercensal population growth rate (1998-2002) was 3.6% per year.

1 Total area of the Ugalla landscape is approximately 84,196 km². Protected areas within the Ugalla landscape are numerous and include the following Game Reserves (~7,099 km²), WMAs (~3,500 km²), and Forest Reserves (~34,698 km²):

Game Reserves Igombe River Nyahua Mbuga Kigosi Ilomero Hill Nyonga Ugalla Ipembampazi Puge South Itulu Hill Sikonge Wildlife Management Kagongho Swangalamedian Areas Karitu Ugunda Ipole Mpanda Line Ulyankulu Uyumbu Mpanda Northeast Unyambiu North Mwanahala Unyambiu South Forest Reserves Ngukumo Uruma Goweko North Ugalla Uyui-Kigwa-Rubuga Igombe Dam Ntalikwa Wala River

The Ugalla River Basin (47,000 km2) is situated in west-central Tanzania between approximately 4.5o and 7o south latitude and 30.5o and 34.5o east longitude. The Ugalla River runs approximately 495 km from it’s headwaters to the confluence with the Malagarasi River and Lake Sagara outside of the Ugalla Landscape.

2.2 Climate The Ugalla Landscape experiences a seasonal tropical climate. Mean annual precipitation at the Tabora airport is 1010 mm, with the majority (~90%) falling during the six-month rainy season between November and April. No detailed temperature records exist for the landscape, but mean maximum temperatures between 21°C and 30°C and mean minimum temperatures between 15°C and 21°C are described within the larger ecoregion.

Fully coupled climate models are predicting precipitation increases of up to 10% for west-central Tanzania by the end of the 21st century. In this intermediate range, any precipitation increase will most likely be accompanied by a some increase in drainage density (M. de Witt et al. 2006). In Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group II reported, “(t)he historical climate record for Africa shows warming of approximately 0.7°C [1.3°F] over most of the continent during the twentieth century; ...and an increase in rainfall in east central Africa.”

2

Figure 1. Overview of Ugalla Landscape, Tanzania

3 2.3 Geology, Landform and Soils The Ugalla landscape is characterized by a gently undulating plains and nearly level alluvial plains. Both features contain extensive mbugas. The undulating plains are sometimes interrupted by isolated Inselbergs and hills. Underlying geology consists of crystalline Precambrian schists, gneisses and granites.

Ustults dominate the undulating plains within the Ugalla landscape. These soils are characteristic of the crystalline geology, low relief, and intense weathering environment prevalent in the region and are typically deep, sandy, well-drained, highly leached, acidic, and nutrient-poor. Most nutrients are concentrated in the upper few inches of the solum.

The dominant soil of the nearly level alluvial plains is Aquepts. These soils formed in sandy alluvium and are characterized by redoximorphic features, periodic saturation, and poor drainage.

Due to the abundance nearly level surfaces, sandy soils and rapid infiltration rates, soil erosion potential within the Ugalla landscape is very low. Physical evidence of soil erosion was minimal and limited to isolated backslopes and toeslopes as well as wildlife and domestic livestock watering areas along perennial water sources. Accelerated hillslope surface erosion was characterized by an almost complete loss of soil to underlying granite bedrock (Figure 2). Gullies were the dominant erosional features on toeslope positions (Figure 3). Gully formation was directly related to increased runoff from severely eroded hillslopes. Soil and riverbank erosion was observed at regular intervals along perennial water sources (Figure 4). No evidence of landslide activity (mass failures) or wind erosion was observed within the landscape.

Figure 2. Accelerated hillslope erosion, Ulyankulu, Tanzania

4

Figure 3. Toeslope gully, Katumba, Figure 4. Soil erosion at watering Tanzania area, Ugalla River, Tanzania

2.4 Hydrology Most of the Ugalla landscape is drained by the Ugalla River, which flows to the confluence with the Malagarasi River approximately 10 km upstream of it’s delivery to Lake Sagara, part of the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar wetlands site. Approximately five perennial tributaries drain to the main stem of the Ugalla River. The Wala River is a major tributary which flows through the northeastern portion of the basin in the Tabora District before serving as the district boundary between Urambo and Sikonge and joining the Ugalla River inside the game reserve. The other perennial rivers (Msima, Mtambo, Mnyamasi, and Nsanda) are smaller and drain the southwestern portion of the basin in the Mpanda District, flowing into the Ugalla River downstream of the game reserve.

Surface flow in the dry season is limited to main stem tributaries fed by shallow ground water seeps and springs. These ground water sources appear to be significant in scope and scale due to the high base flows maintained in the Ugalla and Wala Rivers, as well as commonly reported community water wells that reach reserves between 7.5 and 9.5 meters below the surface.

The wet season significantly expands the quantity and extent of surface water as floodplains and intermittent water bodies store and convey rains for about four months between December and March. Seasonal inundation is indicated by several landscape features including riparian plant communities surrounding isolated pools; culverts and low water crossing structures intersecting roads; and lush crops occupying floodplains in the dry season.

Due to the low topographic relief in much of the watershed, most of the channels are low in gradient and highly sinuous with slight to moderate entrenchment. Sediment supply and/or mobilization appeared to be fairly high in the Ugalla River with suspended particles responsible for low transparency (Figure 5). Macrophytes in the Wala River stabilize more of the entrained sediments, resulting in slightly higher clarity (Figure 6). Channel size and lateral movement in these systems are strongly regulated by bed and bank vegetation as well as direct disturbance by land use activities and large wildlife use.

5

Figure 5. North bank of the Ugalla Figure 6. North bank of the Wala River River within UGR near the hunting within the Uyumbo WMA near the camp, looking upstream fishing camp, looking upstream

The photo in Figure 5 illustrates a moderately confined run of the Ugalla River channel approximately 40-50 meters wide with banks about 3-5 meters high and flood flows indicated an additional 3-7 meters above these banks. Vegetation on the banks appears stable with large shrubs and trees in the foreground and continuous herbaceous plant cover on the distant floodplain upstream. Figure 6 shows a wide meander with good plant cover on the Wala River’s banks. Macrophytes in the foreground illustrate the shallow depth on the north bank, with the main portion of the channel about 30 meters wide immediately downstream.

Stream banks in unpopulated areas are generally stable with intact floodplains. Some upper banks and secondary floodplains have been eroded naturally by native wildlife accessing water points (Figure 4). Developed areas have altered the drainage system by creating undersized crossings for roads, compacting riparian soils, using floodplains for agriculture, and diverting flows. Channel beds and banks in these areas may be significantly less stable than those in undeveloped reaches and thus experience greater movement, erosion/sedimentation, and altered flow volume and timing.

Beneficial uses of water in the drainage include drinking water, fisheries, wildlife habitat, bee keeping, irrigation, and ecosystem health. The fishing and hunting camps at both the Ugalla and Wala rivers indicated plentiful resources, although fish size was reportedly average to smaller than usual. The most common fish caught are listed in Table 1 and are consistent with dominant species found in the other tributaries and lakes of the Malagarasi-Muyovosi watershed (Ndaro & Mbaga 2007). While most of the beneficial uses appear to be supported adequately at this time, a lack of quantitative data makes such observations speculative at this time.

6 Table 1. Fish species reported as commonly caught in the Ugalla and Wala rivers during visits on August 25-26, 2007. (Ndaro & Mbaga 2007; Fishbase 2007; * denotes high market value species)

Common Name Scientific Name Image and Reference

Kologo* Brycinus rhodopleura

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=11096&genusname=Brycinus&speciesname=rhodopleura

Marcusenius Ndomodomo* stanleyanus

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=10918

Kambale kuga Clarias gariepinus

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=1934&genusname=Clarias&speciesname=gariepinus

Kukuru Citharinus gibbosus

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=11267&genusname=Citharinus&speciesname=gibbosus

Ngege Tilapia rendalli

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=1397&genusname=Tilapia&speciesname=rendalli

Ningu Labeo lineatus

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=11553&genusname=Labeo&speciesname=lineatus

7 Human uses in and near the headwaters areas of the Nsanda and Mtambo rivers in the Mpanda region were more pronounced than in the main stems of the Ugalla and Wala Rivers within the UGR and WMA, respectively. The Nsanda River is being diverted for irrigated agriculture in the floodplain, livestock watering, and community drinking water supplies for the Katumba refugee camp. The Mtambo river headwaters are densely covered with protective vegetation, although nearby deforestation, grazing activities, and cassava crops are beginning to encroach on the main channel (Figure 7).

a) b)

Figure 7. a) Nsanda River headwaters with irrigation channel and agricultural crops in the floodplain; b) Mtambo River riparian community supporting and covering the headwaters.

The Ulyankulu community is located in the northern portion of the Ugalla landscape and drains into the Igombe River, an eastern tributary of Lake Nyamagoma. The site visited on the Igombe River has been severely disturbed, with an earthen dam blocking natural river flow, and a straight, eroding overflow channel carrying rain flows to an unconfined valley and undersized remnant channel. This portion of the landscape is so different in terms of ecological conditions and magnitude of stressors than the main Ugalla drainage. It also has the benefit of a government-sponsored group called SIMMORS - Sustainable and Integrated Management of the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar Site, to address issues affecting the wetlands. For these two reasons, the assessment team determined additional work during this visit in the Ulyankulu area would not yield enough useful information and would take away from the broader importance of addressing issues in the main Ugalla River basin.

2.5 Vegetation Miombo woodlands are the characteristic vegetation of the Ugalla River watershed. These large, continuous woodlands are interspersed with seasonally inundated grasslands (mbugas) dominated by Hyparrhenia grass. Permanently inundated mbugas can be found along the Ugalla and other perennial water sources.

Large areas of Miombo woodlands and seasonally-inundated mbugas within the Tabora Region have been converted to agricultural and grazing lands. Relative to the Ugalla River watershed, these areas are concentrated in belts trending east-west from Tabora to Igunga and north-south from Tabora to Utimule. Use of fire as a management tool is prevalent in these areas, as well.

8 3. ISSUES

3.1 Encroachment and Deforestation Issue: Encroachment into forest reserves and community wildlife management areas for settlements, agriculture and livestock grazing is adversely affecting watershed resources through deforestation, uncontrolled fire, and subsequent land degradation.

Encroachment and deforestation of the Ugalla landscape is largely for the purposes of creating or increasing the size and extent of settlements, agriculture sites, grazing pastures, and fuel wood harvesting. Each of these disturbances has the potential to cause adverse ecological effects, and in combination, can produce even more drastic impacts which may prove unsustainable at the landscape scale.

Settlements –The assessment team observed some instances of encroachment into existing forest reserves, particularly near the refugee settlements in Katumba and Ulyankulu. These camps were placed in forest reserves in the 1970s and the populations have continued to grow, now exceeding an estimated 100,000 people in each. Such expansion is causing people to move beyond boundaries in an effort to create and sustain livelihoods.

Africare has collaborated with the Forestry and Beekeeping Division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and demarcated a new boundary for Katumba refugee settlement which is situated within Mpanda North East Forest Reserve. The new boundary is expected to facilitate law enforcement operations for refugees who are encroaching into Mpanda North East Forest Reserve. The Mpanda District officials have already evicted more than 800 refugees who have been involved in illegal use and harvesting of natural resources in Mpanda District to date. The District plans to continue such actions as funding allows. The UNHCR is also in the process of registering refugees in hopes of repatriating or naturalizing them as soon as possible.

Evictions and memorandum of understanding (MOU) to address illegal settlements are also planned in the Tabora District for particularly important areas near the Kigosi Game Reserve. In this regard, evictions are planned in the Ulyankulu District for the Mpanda Mlowoka village on the SSE border of the reserve. An MOU is in place for the Alwendak Ulima village and one is in progress for the Nsungwa village.

Agriculture Sites – Forested areas are being cleared for crop production on a household and commercial scale for tobacco, cassava, and other cash crops. A particular concern is the increasing development of tobacco production. This crop is the most devastating to the ecosystem and economy for several reasons: • Land clearing – large plots are needed to produce enough income to earn a profit for some crops. Even with large clearings, some farmers do not earn a profit, and thus seek to develop even more plantations. This clearing may or may not be sanctioned by the local authorities. • Soil degradation – fields are only productive for a short time (2-5 years), even with fertilizer applications

9 • Fertilization – soils are relatively nutrient poor once the native vegetation has been removed, requiring significant inputs of fertilizer that ultimately pollute water resources when leached. • Infrastructure – drying barns are required to cure the leaves, and thus resources are used for crop production in lieu of home development. • Fuel wood collection – a significant amount of fuel wood must be harvested and collected to use for drying the leaves. • Access to credit – farmers often accept credit at very high rates of interest from the tobacco companies for the seed and fertilizer, leaving them with little profit after selling their crops.

Grazing Pastures – Existing grassland ecosystems are being overgrazed or burned by local herders and new areas are accessed and unsustainably used by nomadic groups. Overgrazed sites may exhibit compaction, erosion and subsequent sedimentation, particularly in riparian areas and seasonal wetlands with silt and clay components in the soil. New areas of clearing are causing vegetation type conversions and habitat fragmentation or isolation. The use of fire appears to be haphazard in rate, size, and distribution, with some areas being burned too frequently to allow adequate regeneration and effective use of volatilized or leached nutrients.

Fuel Wood Harvesting – Some fuel wood harvesting practices appear to be unsustainable. While public forests and village lands are commonly used for fuel wood, the lack of reforestation activities are leaving open areas forcing some people to illegally obtain resources from nearby forest reserves.

3.2 Sustainable Development Issue: Villages are working towards sustainable management of adjacent forest reserves and wildlife management areas to derive suitable livelihoods and develop income generating activities.

Sustainable management is necessary for villages to effectively maintain the ecosystems which support their livelihoods. Communities require support to continue developing sustainable practices for income generating activities such as bee keeping, alternative cash crop cultivation, fish farming, fuel wood gathering, commercial fishing, and hunting. Healthy forests and reliable water supplies are necessary for to support these activities. Support is required in a multisectoral approach to ensure populations remain healthy to produce sufficient livelihoods and ecosystems, in turn, must remain healthy in order to meet the population’s demand for natural resources. Both systems rely on one another.

Africare and other NGOs are working on project to improve the health and well being of both people and the environment. Lack of adequate infrastructure, goods, services, and credit limit the potential of the population and ecosystem in many areas. A significant limitation is the access to markets, particularly in areas where seasonal flooding and inadequate transportation alternatives isolate communities and prevents the flow of goods and services. The NGOs working to bridge these

10 gaps should continue to be funded to expand programs to new areas and support existing projects that jointly benefit people and the ecosystem.

3.3 Forest Reserve and Wildlife Management Area Conservation Issue: Successful administration of Forest Reserves and WMAs depends on adequate management planning and availability of resources for implementation.

Community members are integral in managing natural resources since the forest reserves, WMAs, and game reserves are so important to protecting ecosystems and livelihoods. The communities must derive benefits from these resources in order for protection measures to prove successful. Management plans have proved to be a particularly useful tool in articulating a vision and strategy for administering areas.

Africare has done an outstanding job facilitating dialogue between multiple interested stakeholders in developing such management plans, e.g. the Ipole and Uyumbu community wildlife management areas through the Ugalla Community Conservation Project. Until resources can become self-sustaining financially, additional inputs from donors will be needed. For example, the CBOs managing Uyumbu WMA (UWIMA) and Ipole WMA (JUHIWAI) have no motorized transportation to patrol the natural resources in their 100,000 and 251,000 hectare areas, respectively. Additionally, the reserves need support in establishing hunting blocks so that income generation is fostered sustainably. The CBOs need support to manage the WMAs as sustainable enterprises that produce tangible benefits to communities.

3.4 Community Outreach and Education Issue: Inconsistent efforts lead to disparate use of best practices for natural resources management.

Outreach and education is a cornerstone of building successful management strategies over this large landscape. Community buy-in and involvement in the process is vital, and thus, a shared understanding of the issues, methods, ecosystems, and purposes for protecting and sustaining resources must be achieved. Information from the Malagarasi landscape suggests there are several different mechanisms in which people receive this education. The assessment team noticed that where education and outreach has been conducted, there is greater commitment to achieving success. For example, in the Ugalla Game Reserve, it was clear that the fire-use strategy for regenerating a mosaic of cover and forage types was particularly effective. However, in areas where awareness was lacking, unsustainable management and land use practices continue to degrade the landscape.

3.5 Future Development Issue: As populations and commerce continue to grow and move, there may be increased pressure to build new communities and infrastructure in open areas adjacent to forest reserves, wildlife management areas, and the Ugalla Game Reserve.

11 Based on existing and expected future pressures on the Ugalla Landscape resources, protection and sustainable management is necessary. Some potential pressures include: • A paved road from Dodoma to that will increase access and demands on the landscape; • Population growth at about 4% that will continue to require homes and livelihoods to sustain them; • New markets for biofuels such as jatropha that may supplant or add to existing crops; • New mining endeavors which may open or exploit previously undeveloped areas; and • Environmental implications of climate change are expected, although the relative impact from the changes is not yet known.

These changes may initiate new pressure to develop currently undisturbed landscapes for new communities, livelihood ventures, and supporting infrastructure. Thus, it is important to secure and sustainably manage the existing protected areas. Moreover, new areas for increased conservation should be considered in order to maintain ecosystem connectivity for water resource protection and large animal habitat and migration requirements, as well as to ensure a steady supply of goods and services provided by natural forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and water ways on which communities rely.

4. RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES Based on the key issues and observations identified, several activities are proposed for consideration to achieve the Ugalla Community Landscape Conservation Project goals. Many of these suggestions mimic or parallel those of the research and management community working to address the Malagarasi-Muyovozi wetland complex. The recommendations are listed for immediate, long term, and perpetual activities.

4.1 Immediate Actions Immediate actions are those submitted as most urgent and important to accomplish based on existing efforts, gaps, and opportunities. The following activities are recommended for immediate action: • Create a conservation strategy and plan for the Ugalla watershed that builds on the success of other management plans in the area, e.g. Malagarasi- Muyovozi wetland, Ugalla Game Reserve, Ipole & Uyumbu community wildlife management areas. o The need for and value of developing a landscape conservation plan defined and understood by local stakeholders has been identified through interviews, white papers, and research as a critical first step for project success. • Procure GIS software and supporting hardware, technicians and training for Africare-Tanzania offices

12 o Consider hiring or contracting a GIS specialist who can operate both the ArcInfo & ArcGIS software; install and maintain the supporting hardware; create and maintain spatial and tabular data; and provide technical support and training to field staffs. o Consider installing ArcGIS in field offices and provide training for front line staff responsible for using it • Support law enforcement activities to protect forest and wildlife reserves • Augment resourced to local communities managing natural resource management areas

4.2 Long Term Actions Long term actions are just as important as immediate actions, although they may be less urgent or require a longer period of time to initiate or complete based on management and ecosystem needs at this point in time. Therefore, the following activities are recommended for long term action:

4.2.1 Management • Delineate watershed boundaries and source water protection areas to gain a clear understanding of water resources affected and define appropriate protective measures. o Watershed boundary delineation – consider a national and possibly multinational system for mapping watersheds similar to the U.S. Watershed Boundary Dataset (http://www.ncgc.nrcs.usda.gov/products/datasets/watershed/) where water bodies exist in a nested hierarchy of cataloging units (hydrologic units) originating with the largest receiving water and progressing in smaller units to local water sources. An summary of the work is presented in the following paper: http://www.esri.com/library/newsletters/hydroline/hydroline_summer200 4.pdf. o Source water protection areas – identify land areas that directly contribute surface or groundwater to community drinking water supplies. Develop individual management plans for these areas that will be sufficiently protective of drinking water supplies. Typically, surface water supplies will have greater land management limitations than those areas where ground water sources are dominant. Further information about source water protection may be found at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website: http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/sourcewater/ • Pursue sustainable fisheries improvements (Ngatunga 2007): o Conduct a formal survey of fishery population and health assessment for the Ugalla River and its major tributaries o Introduce and observe fishing seasons o Limit the number of licenses per person

13 o Improve fishing methods o Conduct regular catch assessment surveys o Create a formal fisherman organization to cut out the middle men o Encourage establishment of financial institutions to support fishing ventures o Introduce fish farming for indigenous Ngege o Control immigrant fishers and agropastoralists o Explore options for processing and/or packaging the raw fish for export markets • Continue to refine coordinated conservation strategies and plans o Develop strategies and plans to restore degraded ecosystems in priority watershed areas o Develop watershed management plans that balance and optimize ecosystem health and livelihood endeavors o Continue to facilitate dialog among interested and effected stakeholders to create these strategies and plans o Consider strategies that seek to protect the best resources first and restore the rest on a priority basis • Refine protected area boundaries where encroachment has detrimentally impacted forest resources • Track implementation statistics to evaluate program effectiveness (see the Perpetual Actions section below for ideas on correlating implementation and ecological data). • Work with the University of Dar es Salaam to repackage existing research information for various audiences, e.g. policy makers, planners, natural resource managers, communities, students, and resource users.

4.2.2 Assessment & Research • Evaluate water and sanitation practices in communities to improve access to clean water and create effective septic/sanitation systems • Create a coordinated meteorological/ hydrological monitoring network to derive a water balance and assess climate changes • Conduct detailed assessments or studies of wildlife (mammals, birds, reptiles/ amphibians, fish) to identify threats, important endemic species, key habitats, conservation and utilization strategies • Consider more ground water monitoring in coordination with the Ministry of Water to assess and track water table changes and quantity • Explore opportunities to derive benefits from developing ecosystem services markets

14 4.3 Perpetual Actions • Increase community awareness of natural resource issues and management • Use best practices when conducting land management activities, for example: o Prevent cultivation along the river floodplains and lake shores o Strategically burn vegetation in small plots on a rotational basis by June to achieve a desirable mosaic of habitats and take advantage of remaining soil moisture and volatilized nutrients for plant regeneration o Use contour furrows in agricultural plots • Obtain and create spatial data to use in conducting change detection assessments (due to the size of the area, it is particularly necessary to use remotely-sensed data to support land management activities). o Acquire high quality, remotely-sensed images to use in land use and water pathway change analyses. o Validate imagery by visiting a representative set of sites, possibly establishing permanent plots to characterize conditions and monitoring actual change. • Encourage university and NGO research projects to better understand ecosystem components, structures, and processes. • Correlate program implementation statistics at district or watershed level with empirical data from ecosystem change detection, water quality/quality monitoring, wildlife counts/health, economic output, etc. • Build natural resources awareness and education into other intervention programs as reasonable

5. FUNDING IMPLICATIONS Protecting and improving the Ugalla landscape presents a unique opportunity to sustain a critical and significant portion of the greater Ugalla/Malagarasi drainage basin. This landscape appears to be the most intact, contiguous block of forested ecosystem that drains to the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar site and . The northern and eastern portions of the basin have already experienced large scale changes in land use and deforestation outside of the protected areas, contributing to degradation of livelihoods and the wetland ecosystem.

6. POTENTIAL FUTURE ROLE FOR USFS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE • Provide assistance in watershed mapping and identification of priority watersheds • Provide input on design and implementation of mitigation measures to address threats in priority watersheds • Provide assistance in identification of source water protection areas in UCLCP

15 • Provide expertise for implementation and training of UCLCP GIS program • Provide assistance in establishment of meteorological and hydrological monitoring network in Ugalla landscape

16 REFERENCES

Fishbase. 2007. Fishbase online database. http://www.fishbase.org/search.php

IPCC. 2001. Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II, MacCarthy, J.J. et al., eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

M. de Wit et al. 2006. Changes in surface water supply across Africa with predicted climate change. Science 311, 1917 -1921 (2006).

Ndaro, Simon G.M. and T. K. Mbaga. 2007. Ecology of Key Fish Species in the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar Site. Paper from National SIMMORS workshop on the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar Site, Kigoma, Tanzania, 25-27 June. 15 p.

Ngataunga, B. P. 2007. Economic opportunities for Fisheries Management in MMRS. Powerpoint presentation from National SIMMORS workshop on the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar Site, Kigoma, Tanzania, 25-27 June.

17 APPENDIX A: SCOPE OF WORK US Forest Service International Programs Technical Assistance in Collaboration with Africare on a Watershed Assessment of the Ugalla Landscape

Scope of Work – April 2007

1. Background The US Forest Service (USFS), through the Office of International Programs, is an implementing partner of the US Agency for International Development (USAID)/Tanzania’s Environment and Natural Resources Management program, “Biodiversity conserved in targeted landscapes through a livelihood driven approach.” The role of the USFS in this program is as a provider of targeted technical and capacity building assistance aimed at assisting lead implementing NGOs and government partners on each of the landscapes to improve natural resource management.

One of four focal landscapes for USAID under this program is the Ugalla Landscape, on which Africare is the lead implementing partner. Located in west-central Tanzania, this ecosystem includes the Malagarasi, Moyowosi, and Ugalla Rivers, as well as the Ugalla Game Reserve and the Uyumbu and Ipole Wildlife Management Areas (WMA). The region is home to a large diversity of wildlife and includes the Malagarasi-Muyovozi Ramsar site, one of the largest and most important wetlands in East Africa. This ecosystem is also of high importance in supporting local human populations who rely on the region for their livelihoods, which include grazing of domestic animals, agriculture, fishing, hunting, beekeeping and the harvesting forest products.

Africare’s Ugalla Community Landscape Conservation Project (UCLCP) partners with local populations in the Ugalla landscape to implement community based conservation projects aimed at improving the management of natural resources in the region while providing alternative income generating activities for local peoples aimed at helping them benefit directly from the presence of game reserves and WMAs in the ecosystem.

The USFS will partner with Africare to provide technical assistance to ongoing natural resources management projects on the landscape, focusing on assessing the overall health of the ecosystem’s watershed and the effective management of those watersheds for biodiversity conservation and to contribute to improving the livelihoods of local people. The focus of this initial mission to this region of Tanzania on the part of the USFS will be on performing a rapid assessment of the watersheds contained within the Ugalla ecosystem. USFS technical experts will provide guidance on structuring an analysis of the hydrology of the region, identifying threats to the health of the watershed and will provide recommendations to mitigate these threats and improve the overall condition of the watershed. A particular focus of this work will be on analyzing the quality and quantity of water flows to the Malagarasi – Muyovosi wetland. This USFS technical assistance team will consist of two individuals; a hydrologist and a soil scientist or forest ecologist, both experienced in

18 watershed management. This team will travel to Tanzania at an as yet to be agreed upon date (tentatively in late June/early July 2007) for a period of approximately two weeks.

2. Objectives The objectives for this initial USFS mission to the Ugalla ecosystem are as follows: 1) Provide technical assistance to Africare, and their Tanzanian government and non-government partners in performing a rapid assessment of the regions watersheds and hydrologic systems. 2) Assess the current conditions of the Ugalla ecosystem’s watersheds in and around the Game Reserve and Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and other natural resources management areas, and Forest Reserves, identifying primary threats to the quality and quantity of river flows, impacts current and potential future degradation may have on the people, forest resources and wildlife of the region, and offer recommendations on mitigation measures for these threats. 3) Provide insight and recommendations on future and more long term studies and monitoring activities which will be needed to effectively assess the health of the water resources of the area.

3. Tasks #1: Recruitment, selection, and mobilization of a USFS technical assistance team: a) Recruit a hydrologist, experienced in evaluating and monitoring threats to the health of watersheds and developing mitigation measures to protect those water resources. b) Recruit a soil scientist or forest ecologist with experience in the design and implementation of watershed management and monitoring techniques. Responsible party: USFS

#2: Assist Africare and their partners with the design and implementation of a rapid assessment of the Ugalla ecosystem’s watersheds and the impacts current conditions may be having on local people, as well as wildlife and forest resources. Assess current conditions and threats to the watersheds, as described in the objectives above. Responsible party: USFS

#3: Provide recommendations for the design of a more long term assessment of the region’s hydrology, and recommend mitigation measures which address the more pressing threats to the health of these watersheds. Responsible party: USFS

#4: In-country logistical support: a) Inform local authorities on the landscape, and other relevant partners, as needed, of the team’s arrival and purpose of their engagement in region. b) Arrange for collaboration from these partners during the USFS team’s visit to the region.

19 c) Arrange for all in-country transportation and necessary lodging reservations, as well as reservations for in-country flights between Dar Es Salaam and Tabora. d) Schedule a debriefing visit with USAID’s Natural Resource Management Staff in Dar Es Salaam prior to the USFS team’s departure. Responsible party: Africare

#5: Identify representative areas of the Ugalla ecosystem’s watersheds to show the USFS team, which demonstrate the sources of threats and challenges to the watersheds and the most pressing natural resource related issues facing local communities. These could include water sources, habitats threatened by hydrologic changes, areas of local community use, forested areas under threat, areas of river flow extraction and places of effluent discharge, as well as important ecosystems of the region. Responsible party: Africare

#6: Prior to the arrival of the USFS team, Africare will gather all available and relevant information, including maps, on the Ugalla ecosystem for the team to review to allow them to adequately prepare for the work to be done while in-country. As much as possible, this information should be sent to the USFS team electronically prior to their arrival. Any documents not available in an electronic format should be made available to the team upon arrival. The USFS team would also benefit from a briefing by Africare on their first day in-country on the region and know watershed issues and challenges, known uses of the ecosystems rivers, actors working in and around the ecosystems (including government of Tanzania projects, other NGOs, foreign donors, etc), background on the local communities and ecology of the region and any other relevant information. Responsible party: Africare

4. Deliverables The USFS team will produce a report detailing activities during the mission and all results and findings of the work toward the accomplishment of those objectives listed above. This report will include but not be limited to: a) A discussion of the Ugalla ecosystem’s hydrology and the impacts of ongoing natural resource management practices on it. b) An assessment of the health of the region’s watershed’s, primary threats to that ecosystem and any major obstacles to mitigating those threats. c) An assessment of the state of available information on the watersheds and the natural resources of the region as whole, identifying major gaps. This section should also propose prioritized data collection needs and recommend effective and appropriate monitoring techniques. d) A set of recommendations to Africare prioritizing next steps for fully assessing the state of the region’s hydrology, its watersheds and the resources of the ecosystem, and for implementing protection and threat mitigation measures in this landscape. This section should include any potential future role for additional USFS technical assistance.

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