A Case of Mount Meru Forest Reserve in Northern Tanzania
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FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A CASE OF MOUNT MERU FOREST RESERVE IN NORTHERN TANZANIA. By Ufoo C. Lema University of Cape Town A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY. September, 1997. ~;~}ii::.''..;:_j,;l ttf:{f fl L.::-__ .. ~,_ ...::;~-- -::...:~~ ... .....-.:w. .... -~--:.,~~-.....-,',l,;~'.... .. ,._,s._~-~~-2~~·.-. -~-~ .........". ~.,. The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town ~'t)&f ~O \ , 5 LE- M fr · q<i l ;2'18 ( v Abstract Management systems as applied to most of the world's tropical forests are anthropocentric. In view of this, conservation of these ecosystems has been threatened by overuse and pressure of exotic monocultures. Sustainable forest development aims at utilizing the forest resource without unduly degrading the forest ecosystems. This study examines the case of Mount Meru forest reserve, a tropical montane rainforest in northern Tanzania. The main aim of the study is to investigate human induced causes of forest degradation and to propose ways to improve the forest management so as to attain sustainable forest development. The study is based on survey data obtained from the study area through semi-structured interviews conducted with 198 key informats. Social study methods have been used for data analysis and interpretation. ;· It has been found that human instinct, both at the individual level and at community and national levels, emphasizes short-term gain, threatening long-term survival. This has resulted in exploitative use of the forest ecosystem reducing options for its future use. Implementation of forest policies to intensify forest conservation is difficult due to poor supervision, partly caused by the extensiveness of the areas involved, and the large population dependent on forest resources for survival. Raising awareness of the implications of human actions on these ecosystems is found to be an essential prerequisite for enabling change in attitudes and behaviour and a move towards actions necessary to generate sustainable development. Co operative ingenuity in relation to the use and allocation of forest resources is essential. This necessitates considerations for the predicament of the majority poor. Consistent review of government policies is also important. It is recommended that local communities be involved in forest management activities. In addition, immediate action to restore degraded areas is also recommended. vi Acknowledgement A number of people have made significant contributions to the completion of this study. Firstly, I would like to thank Winrock International for their financial support, without which this thesis would not have been possible. I am especially indebted and wish to give special thanks to Profe~sor Richard Fuggle of the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, who kindly supervised the project. His encouragement, advice, patience and inputs provided a great support and confidence. My sincere thanks are also due to Suzan Sayer, map curator, in the Department of Envi,ronmental and Geographical Science of the ; ·: t. University of Cape Town, who kindly interpreted and developed the maps. I wish to acknowledge the invaluable and kind assistance I received from Protus P. Massawe, G. Mwaijibe and A. Chamuya who tirelessly assisted in data collection during the field interviews. My sincere thanks are also due to Daniel Ole Njoolay, the Regional Commissioner in Arusha Region for his moral support during data collection in the region and in Arumeru district in particular. Above all, I express my most sincere gratitudes to all the individual interviewees for dedicating their valuable time during the interviews. Their contributions and inputs are highly appreciated. I owe most to my family. Both my husband, Christopher and my children, Josephine, Victoria, Nicodemu and Noel were a constant source of love and support. Thank you!!. vii Table of Contents Contents Page Title Page Abstract .................................................................................................................................. v Acknowledgment .......................................... :........................................................................ vi Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... vii List of tables and illustrations ................................................................................................ xi List of Tables ......................................................... , ................................................... xi List of Plates .............................................................................................................. xi - List of Boxes ............................................................................................................... xi List of Charts ...................................................................................... ·....................... xii List of Maps ···································~·········'.·································································xii List of Figures ................................ :.-.·.::;i.. '.·.~; ..- .................................. ,......................... xii Glossary of Terms ............................................................................................................... :.. xiii Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................................................................ xv Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 The Tropical forest lands - general trends ................................................................. 1 1.2 Sustainable forest use ................................................................................................. 2 1.3 The forest ecosystem .................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Forest benefits ............................................................................................................ 4 1.5 Forest management .................................................................................................... 5 1.5.1 Involvement of communities in forest management. ..................................... 6 1.5.2 Forest ownership: implications for management.. ......................................... 7 1.6 The forest resource in Tanzania ........ ;: .... ;.................................................................. 9 1.6.1 The study area ......................... ·::::.:';;.': ............................................................. 15 . 1.6.2 The Problem ............................... ;.:.; ................................................................ 17 1.6.3 Statement of the research Problem ................................................................ 18 1.6.4 The general aim of the study .......................................................................... 18 1.6.5 Specific objectives of the study ..................................................................... 18 .1.7 Summary .................................................... ;............................................................... 19 Chapter 2. Research Procedure and Methodology 2.1 Methodological framework ........................................................................................ 21 2.1.1 Positivist or Quantitative approach ................................................................ 21 2.1.2 Humanistic or Qualitative approaches ........................................................... 22 2.1.3 Structural approaches.'. ................................................................................... 22 2.1.4 Participatory approaches ..... :... :.;.. :.: ............................................................... 23 2.2 Research Methodology for this study ...... :................................................................. 25 2.2.1 Data collection and analysis ........ :.................................................................. 26 2.2.1.1 Review of secondary sources .......................................................... 26 2.2.1.2 Semi-structured interviews .............................................................. 27 2.2.1.3 Group discussions ............................................................................ 28 2.2.1.4 Direct observation ........................................................................... 29 2.2.1.5 Diagramming ..................................................... :·····························29 2.2.1.6 Ranking and Scoring ....................................................................... 29 2.3 Criteria for the choice of the study participants ......................................................... 31 2.3.1 Probability sampling ...................................................................................... 32 viii 2.4 Pre-testing ................................................................................................................. 32