REPORT ON ANT, AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE ASSESSMENT OF MT. NAMULI, MOZAMBIQUE
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BASELINE STUDY ON THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN CURRUCA COMMUNITY, NAMULI CHIEF OF PARTY SUMMARY Majka Burhardt Chief of Party LEGADO (formerly called the Lost Mountain) th October 28 , 2015
LEGADO (formerly called the Lost Mountain) is an international venture combining integrated conservation planning, rock climbing, and cliff-side scientific research on Mt. Namuli, located in Zambezia Province, Mozambique. The project commenced in 2011 with a Phase I reconnaissance trip to Mt Namuli. Phase II took place in May of 2014, when an 18-person international team explored Malawi’s Mt. Mulanje and Mozambique’s Mt. Namuli, conducting scientific- and conservation-focused fieldwork, using rock climbing to access previously unexplored habitats, and capturing media for a forthcoming film. Phase II yielded a biodiversity assessment by the Lost Mountain Science team, led by Dr. Flavia Esteves, and an assessment of potential for an integrated conservation project, performed by Mozambican development organization, LUPA.
The biodiversity assessment built on past assessments to further establish that Namuli is an inselberg of critical biological significance in the Eastern Afromontane bioregion due to its distinctive flora and fauna. This assessment confirmed the significance of this region due to its insect and herpetological diversity, as elaborated in the attached Report On Ant, Amphibian And Reptile Assessment Of Mt. Namuli, Mozambique (Appendix 1). Results include: ● 14 amphibian and 18 reptile species recorded, adding 11 species to the checklist of known herpetofauna of Namuli ● Discovery of one new snake species, yet to be described ● Second record of a caecilian (Scolecomorphus kirkii, order Gymnophiona, Amphibia) in Mozambique, also the fifth and southernmost recording of this species in the world ● First-ever comprehensive ant collection on Mulanje and Namuli massifs; 36 total ant genera collected, including 5 genera never before collected to Mozambique (Agraulomyrmex, Axinidris, Cyphoidris, Euponera, and Prionopelta), and 12 new records to Malawi (Acropyga, Carebara, Hypoponera, Leptogenys, Mesoponera, Palthotyreus, Paraparatrechina, Pheidole, Plagiolepis, Probolomyrmex, Solenopsis, and Tapinoma) ● 60 ant species recorded on Namuli; 35 on Mulanje (final identification) ● Collection of the rare ant genus Promyopias on Mulanje massif — the second record for the genus in Malawi, 101 years after its first collection, and the seventh for Africa. It will be the first specimen available for DNA extraction within this genus, and an unique opportunity for better understanding relatedness of some ant lineages.
The community natural resources assessment demonstrated the range of development and conservation challenges this region faces, including extreme poverty, isolation, and the absence of engagement by state institutions, NGOs, or the private sector. As elaborated in the attached Baseline Study on the Management of Natural Resources in Currcua Community, Namuli (Appendix 2), difficulties facing the Namuli area include lack of access, infrastructure, formal education, health care, and land or resource governance coupled with extensive slash and burn agriculture. There was a high level of community participation and engagement in the situation assessment, particularly as it related to the opportunity for key development needs to be met.
Mt. Namuli is an undoubtedly unique mountain landscape with an exceptional degree of biodiversity and a high concentration of communities who depend heavily on the ecosystem services it provides. It is, at the same time, a microcosm representative of many other high conservation value areas in the Eastern Afromontane, where maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem service values is tremendously challenged by extreme poverty, lack of access, and lack of services or governance.
Phase III of The Lost Mountain seeks to creatively support modest but measurable conservation and development gains for Namuli, and, furthermore, to strongly establish a new innovation-based practice for conservation tools to be used in other situations. We will do this by advancing further studies and integrated conservation and development planning, supported by 21st century media tools, diverse sources of funding, a broad-base constituency, creative advocacy, and engagement of youth. Our hallmark will continue to be bridging the connection among science, conservation, adventure, education, and action.
Please note: In October 2015 The Lost Mountain officially changed its name to LEGADO. This report therefore uses both names on the title and the Lost Mountain within the actual document as that was the name of the initiative during the time the field work was conducted.
REPORT ON ANT, AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE ASSESSMENT OF MT. NAMULI, MOZAMBIQUE
October 2015 Dr. Flavia Esteves California Academy of Sciences, USA Lead Scientist, Lost Mountain Project
OVERVIEW The Lost Mountain Project (now called LEGADO) is focused on the conservation of Mt. Namuli – a highly biologically diverse and threatened region, with no conservation status, and missing baseline knowledge on some components of its biodiversity, which undermines conservation efforts (CEPF 2012). The need for comprehensive inventories of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates encouraged the formation of the Lost Mountain Scientific team. The team aimed to assess the ant, amphibian, and reptile diversity and set a baseline for conservation planning. Mt. Namuli, a 2,419-meter inselberg, is located in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot. It is one of the largest peaks in the northern part of Mozambique and is among the oldest mountains of Africa (Burgess et al. 2004).
DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA The Eastern Afromontane ecoregion encompasses scattered mountains running along the eastern edge of Africa and possesses one of the highest concentrations of endemic and threatened organisms on earth (Burgess et al. 2004). It was once called the Afromontane archipelago (White 1983) thanks to its fragmented aspect; it is the only archipelago-like hotspot among the 34 of the world (Burgess et al. 2004). The mountain “islands” act as cradles and museums of life: during the Quaternary climate change, the Indian Ocean and East Africa’s Great Lakes kept the mountains wetter than the surrounding lowlands, allowing their biodiversity to evolve in isolation (Burgess et al. 2004). As a result, each one of the mountains contains distinctive flora surrounded by other vegetation types (e.g., miombo woodland) (Burgess et al. 2004). Mt. Namuli and neighboring formations (such as Mt Mulanje in Malawi) are an understudied system with potentially high biological value, housing animals and plants not yet discovered by science (Branch et al. 2014; Branch & Bayliss 2009; Portik et al. 2013b; among others), as well as a significant number of species found nowhere else in the world. Because of their geological history (see below) and location, the biodiversity present on Mt. Namuli and the surrounding
1 region may form an important link between the southern and the northern components of the Eastern Afromontane biome (Bayliss et al. 2014; Timberlake et al. 2012). A reconnaissance trip was held on the Namuli massif in November 2011. Our main field expedition took place in May 2014, and was concentrated in two sites: on the Mulanje massif th th th th (May 7 to May 9 , 2014) in Malawi, and on the Namuli massif (May 19 to May 29 , 2014) in Mozambique.
1. Mulanje Massif The Mulanje massif, a granitic inselberg that contains the highest mountain in south-central Africa (the Sapitwa peak reaches over 3000 m), covers about 650 km2 of southeastern Malawi (WWF 2014; Wisborg & Jumbe 2010; Figure 1). Part of the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot, it is surrounded by the districts of Phalombe and Mulanje, small-scale cultivation, and tea estates (WWF 2014; Wisborg & Jumbe 2010). The massif constitutes an essential water catchment area for the surrounding region: nine rivers have their sources at its plateau (WWF 2014; Wisborg & Jumbe 2010).
Figure 1. Satellite image of the Mulanje massif. Image by Map data 2015: Google, DigitalGlobe, US Depart of State geographer, CNES.
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o The average maximum temperature at the Mulanje massif is around 24 C in the summer and 12o C in the winter (Wisborg & Jumbe 2010). The rainy season happens from November to April, but rainfall varies with geography and ranges from 300 mm in the southwest section to around 3000 mm on the Lichenya Plateau (Wisborg & Jumbe 2010). Soils are acid (pH 4.2-4.9) and classified as Humic Ferrisols (WWF 2014). Vegetation also presents enormous variation in response to factors as altitude, aspect, soils, and incidence of fire (Wisborg & Jumbe 2010). The habitats present in the massif are the miombo woodland (dominated by Brachystegia), lowland forest, montane forests, grasslands and vegetation on rocky outcrops (WWF 2014). The massif is protected under a forest reserve status since 1927, and was declared a UNESCO 'Man and the Biosphere Reserve' in 2000 (Wisborg & Jumbe 2010). However, those designations do not guarantee complete ecosystem protection, and human activities have impacted the natural resources present in the area (Wisborg & Jumbe 2010).
2. Namuli Massif The Darwin Initiative report (Timberlake et al. 2009) provides a thorough description of Namuli’s geography, climate, geophysical characteristics, and vegetation, among other information. Given that and unless otherwise stated, the following section was drawn from the mentioned report.
2 Essentially a 200 km c omplex of granitic inselbergs linked by a high plateau, the Namuli massif rises to the north of the town of Gurue, Zambezia Province (Figure 2). The study area covered the localities shown in Figure 3. Climatic data are not available for the massif, but for Gurue, at 730 m above sea level, the rain season is from November to March (mean monthly precipitation > 300 mm; mean annual precipitation = 1995.7 mm); dry season happens from May to October (mean monthly precipitation < 60 mm); mean maximum temperature equals 28°C, and mean minimum is 15.7°C. Given the differences in altitude, both lower temperatures and more rainfall are expected on the massif. Soils are classified as Eutric Leptosols (FAO, 2014), characterized by: shallow soil layer over altered rock (most of topsoil 0-20 cm depth); brown sandy loam texture; exceptionally high acidity (topsoil and subsoil mean pH = 4.6; lowest value = 3.4); slope greater than 30%; excessive drainage; high to very high organic matter. Interestingly, this soil type is classified as vii – viii by USDA Land Capability system, which means that it is unsuited for cultivation, and that there is a high risk of soil damage (USDA 2015).
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Figure 2. Location of Mt. Namuli in the Namuli massif. Image by Map data 2015: Google.
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Figure 3. Satellite image featuring Mt. Namuli and the collection localities of the Lost Mountain Expedition, in May 2014. Image by Map data 2015: Google, CNES, Spot Image, Digital Globe, Landsat. The vegetation above 1200 m altitude is categorized into six main groups – montane forest, woodland, scrub, montane grassland, thin mats or patches on rocky outcrops, and cultivated/heavily disturbed areas. This study mainly surveyed patches of montane forest, montane grasslands, and vegetation on rocky outcrops. Montane forest on the Namuli massif encompasses an area of around 1250 ha (Timberlake et al. 2009). High-elevation montane forest occurs between 1600 and 1900 m elevation, and accounts for around 89% of forested total area. The remainder 11% occurs below 1600 m, and is herein called mid-elevation montane forest. Forest patches are also found along water bodies. Those gallery forests are here subcategorized in two groups: high-elevation, when above 1600 m; and medium-elevation, when below that. Montane grasslands extend over approximately 300 ha between 1850 and 2000 m of Namuli massif, and encompass small patches of montane forest (including gallery forest). The vegetation on rocky outcrops is patchy, but occupies an area similar to the montane forest on Namuli massif. It includes plants adapted to extreme temperature changes and drought, plants that grow on perennial seepages, and if the soil is deeper, the phyto-physiognomy is scrub-like and woody plants are not uncommon. A detailed description of the flora can be found in Timberlake et al. (2009).
2.1. Human impacts on the area Local human populations living on the Namuli Massif are part of the ethno-linguistic Lomwe group, a subgroup of the Makua people, which is by its turn part of Bantu ethnic group. Timberlake et al. (2009) suggested that they arrived in the region “some hundreds of years ago”. However, the latest phylogeographic hypothesis places the arrival of Bantu people in Mozambique at around 1800 years ago (Silva et al. 2015). Nowadays, their principal activity is subsistence and small-scale commercial agriculture, but livestock is also raised in the area (Timberlake et al. 2009). Local villagers practice slash-and-burn to open areas for cultivation and pasture. The practice leads to the destruction of already small forest patches and to the predominance of fire-tolerant plant species, as well as the local extinction of sensitive species in the grasslands (Timberlake et al. 2009). The grazing of livestock (cows, pigs and goats) disturbs the vegetation and also impacts the area. Villagers also hunt for meat, and have eliminated small and medium-sized mammals, as well as medium and large-sized predators (Timberlake et al. 2009). Finally, there is unsustainable timber harvesting of Faurea wentzeliana (Proteaceae - locally known as Tchetchere). The clearing created by this selective logging opens space for invasive species, and also is often followed by other activities such as agriculture.
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In our expedition, we observed recent burns on grassland and forest habitats, goats grazing on the vegetation on rocky outcrops, and numerous log clearings and recently logged trees in the Ukalene/Ukalini forest.
2.2. Previous scientific expeditions The early history of scientific exploration of the massif dates from the end of 19th century, with Joseph Last’s study on plants and fungi. After that, scientists explored the region for birds, reptiles, small mammals, and mainly plants, in a total of less than 50 expeditions (see complete list in Timberlake et al. 2009). The Darwin Initiative conducted a biodiversity assessment of Mt. Namuli and surrounding environments (Timberlake et al. 2009), which laid much of the groundwork for future conservation planning in the region. It included the most comprehensive plant inventory to date, surveys of birdlife and mammals, and the establishment of comprehensive outlines of the region’s early history (social and colonial history, and early exploration), geography, geology, and climate. The scientific component of the Lost Mountain project complemented The Darwin Initiative’s inventory through assessments of the diversity of reptiles, amphibians, and ants. As many of these organisms are found on Namuli’s vegetated vertical and near-vertical rock faces, they also represented key taxa for the Lost Mountain Project’s collaborative climbing, conservation, and science expedition.
REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS Limited herpetological studies performed on the Namuli massif (Portik et al. 2013a; Timberlake et al. 2009) resulted in the description of some new species (Branch et al. 2014; Branch & Bayliss 2009; Portik et al. 2013b), indicating these regions awaited an inclusive herpetological survey. In November 2011 and May 2014, Harith Farooq (MSc.), a specialist on amphibians and reptiles from Lúrio University, Mozambique, and Werner Conradie, from the Port Elizabeth Museum, South Africa, surveyed reptiles and amphibians on the massif. Reptiles and amphibians were located opportunistically through microhabitat surveys conducted during the day and evening. In addition, habitats were sampled using arrays of pitfall traps placed along drift fences. Specimens not retained as vouchers were released, and vouchers are being maintained in the herpetological collection at Lúrio University, Mozambique.
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The Lost Mountain herpetological surveys on Namuli yielded 14 amphibian and 18 reptile species, which added 11 species to the checklist of known herpetofauna of Namuli. Currently, the area is known to house a total of 16 amphibian and 23 reptile species (see Tables 1 and 2).
Table 1. Checklist of amphibians of the Namuli massif, Zambezia Province, Mozambique (+ recorded, - not recorded; modified from Farooq & Conradie 2015).
The highlight of the surveys is the second record of a caecilian (Scolecomorphus kirkii, order Gymnophiona, Amphibia) in Mozambique, also the fifth and southernmost recording of this species in the world. A summary of the reptiles and amphibians collection of the Lost Mountain expedition was published in 2015 (Farooq & Conradie 2015).
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Table 2. Checklist of reptiles of the Namuli massif, Zambezia Province, Mozambique (+ recorded, - not recorded; modified from Farooq & Conradie 2015).
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ANTS There is no record of a previous ant inventory on Mt. Namuli and its surrounding landscape. Ants were included as part of the Lost Mountain biodiversity assessment because they can act as surrogate organisms, indicating more general patterns in an ecosystem (Hoffmann et al. 2000; Andersen 1990). They dominate in biomass the terrestrial world, maintaining ecological relationships with a large array of organisms, and are functionally important in many trophic levels (Alonso 2000). Ants can also be used to indicate environmental changes, for they are sensitive and respond quickly to variations in the system (Andersen 1990). The ant component of the Lost Mountain expedition was composed of Caswell Munyai, University of Venda, South Africa, and Flavia Esteves, California Academy of Sciences; both PhD in entomology, specialized in ants. At the Chambe Basin of Mt. Mulanje and adjacent region localities, we collected ants from four habitats, at distinct elevations: disturbed montane forest, at 1,976 meters above sea level; fire induced montane grassland, from 1,754 to 1,935 m; high elevation rocky areas, at 2,195 to 2,390 m; and miombo woodland, from 1,025 to 1,485 m (Figure 4). On the Namuli massif, our study emphasized collection in montane forest habitats (high-elevation: around 1500 to 1860 m, and mid-elevation: from 1200 to 1500 m, which includes gallery forests at 1200 and 1511 m), montane grasslands (from 1400 to 1860 m), and vegetation patches on rocky slopes (from 1781 to 2400 m). Most of the study focused on vegetation above 1400 m (Figure 5).
1. Methods We applied typical ant collection techniques (leaf-litter sifting for forests, baiting for grasslands and rock cliffs, low vegetation beating and malaise traps for all habitats), in addition to qualitative inventories, such as hand collecting and soil digging. Specimens collected qualitatively were identified to the genus level in the field. Voucher specimens were exported to California Academy of Sciences (CASC), USA, and then dry- mounted and sorted into taxonomic units. The material is currently being identified to species level. When the process is finished, a representative collection from our expedition will be also deposited at the National Natural History Museum, in Maputo, Mozambique, and at the Forestry Research Institute of Malawi. The latter two contributions will assist these African institutions in their goal of housing representative samples of their biodiversity.
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All statistical analyses were performed on R environment (R Core Team 2014). Venn diagrams were used to visualize genera and species unique and shared among localities. They were built with the statistical package VennDiagram (Chen 2014), using presence/absence data. Species accumulation curves, extrapolated richness through Chao2 index, and scaled collection effort to the number of minimal individuals collected were employed to compare species richness among localities, as well as to evaluate collection effort. This step was performed with the R package vegan (Oksanen et al. 2015), and data were organized in presence/absence matrixes. In an inventory many species will always remain undetected (especially in RAPID assessments). The Chao 2 index estimates the number of unseen species and adds them to observed species richness (Gotelli & Colwell 2011, Colwell & Coddington 1994, Chao 1987), providing then the expected number of species in a given community. Chao 2 is based on the number of unique and duplicate species present in the samples. Uniques are species collected in only one sample (also known as rare species), while duplicates are species collected in only two samples. The general idea is that if all species collected were recorded in at least two samples, there is likely no more species to be found. Thus, in a well-sampled community the number of rare species should be low – if there is a large amount of rare species, the odds are more rare species remain unseen. Finally, cluster analysis was used to evaluate relatedness among localities based on dissimilarity of fauna through the R package stats (R Core Team 2014). Data were organized in presence/absence matrixes, and clusters were tested through cophenetic correlation indexes (Oksanen et al. 2015).
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Figure 4. Chambe basin, Mulanje massif, Malawi. Collection points are classified by habitats mapped in different topographic contours. Blue diamonds represent montane forest; yellow circles, montane grasslands; orange squares, vegetation patches on rocky outcrops; and black circles, miombo woodland. Image by Map data 2015: Google.
Figure 5. Namuli massif, Mozambique. Collection localities are classified by habitats mapped in different topographic contours. Blue diamonds represent montane forest; yellow circles, montane grasslands; and orange squares, vegetation patches on rocky outcrops. Image by Map data 2015: Google.
2. Results Previously, the majority of ant collections within the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot were opportunistic. Besides our initiative, the only other ant inventory in the region was undertaken in Tanzania, between 1995 and 1996, and revealed 20 ant genera for montane and lowland forest, and miombo woodland (Robertson 2002). We collected 36 ant genera on Mulanje and Namuli massifs, of which fourteen we uniquely recorded from Namuli’s montane forests and five from Mulanje’s miombo woodland (Figures 6 and 7).
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Figure 6. Number of ant genera that were unique to Mulanje and to Namuli massifs, and also the amount of genera that were shared among them.
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Figure 7. Ant genera records in different habitats of Mulanje and Namuli massifs. 2.1. Mulanje Massif We collected 22 ant genera on the Mulanje massif, which comprised 35 species (appendix 1), including the rare Promyopias silvestrii Santschi (1914) in the soil of the miombo woodland — the second record for the genus in Malawi, 101 years after its first collection, and the seventh for the world. Twelve genera were recorded for the first time in Malawi (AntWeb 2015, Antwiki 2015): Acropyga, Carebara, Hypoponera, Leptogenys, Mesoponera, Palthotyreus, Paraparatrechina, Pheidole, Plagiolepis, Probolomyrmex, Solenopsis, and Tapinoma. Estimated species richness, based on the number of recorded rare species (i.e., recorded in only one sample) suggests that approximately the same number of species collected remained unseen (Figure 8; see Methods section for more information on the statistical analyses performed).
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Figure 8. Accumulation curves of observed species richness (blue dots) and extrapolated species richness (orange dots). Chao2 index estimated species richness based on the number of species recorded only once and species recorded twice. More information on the method may be seen in the section Methods.
The richest habitat in number of species was the miombo woodland (22 species), followed by vegetation on rocky outcrops (8 species), montane forest (7 species), and grassland (4 species; Figure 9). Grasslands did not present any unique species, while six species were exclusively recorded from the vegetation on rocky outcrops (17.14% of the total species recorded), eighteen species were unique to miombo woodland (51.42%), and five to montane forest (14.3%; Figure 10). No species was shared by all habitats. Based on faunal composition, our data suggest the existence of three ant communities on the Chambe basin of Mt. Mulanje (Figure 11): (1) open habitat ant community, formed by the species collected in the grasslands and in the vegetation on rocky outcrops (which are 25% similar); (2) ants found in the miombo woodland, which is more than 95% different from the
14 open habitat community; and (3) montane forest, which differs from miombo in more than 99%.
Figure 9. Ant species richness in different habitats of Mt. Mulanje, Malawi. A: Observed number of species collected in each habitat. B: Number of species in each habitat scaled (i.e., rarefied) by the smallest number of specimens collected in all habitats. This strategy allows comparison among sites with different sample sizes. Note that after rarefaction the richness pattern among habitat remains the same.
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Figure 10. Venn diagram showing how many ant species were unique to each habitat sampled the Mulanje massif, and how many were shared among them.
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Figure 11. Clusters of ant fauna composition collected in the Chambe basin, Mt. Mulanje, Malawi. Ants in that region are classified in three communities: (1) open habitats, clustering species collected in grasslands and in vegetation on rocky outcrops (with 25% of similarity); (2) ants found in the miombo woodland, whose fauna composition is more than 95% different from the open habitat’s; and (3) montane forest, which differs from miombo in more than 99% in ant fauna. The high cophenetic coefficient (0.99) indicates the groups did not distort our data, and thus, the cluster analysis pictures with confidence the relationship between ants and habitats.
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2.2. Namuli Massif On the Namuli massif we recorded 31 ant genera, comprising 60 species (see appendix 2). Five genera were recorded for the first time in Mozambique (AntWeb 2015, Antwiki 2015): Agraulomyrmex, Axinidris, Cyphoidris, Euponera, and Prionopelta. The species richness estimative, based on the number of recorded rare species (i.e., recorded in only one sample) suggests that our collection effort yielded around 60% of the species present in the region (Figure 12).
Figure 12. Accumulation curves of observed species richness (blue dots), and extrapolated species richness (orange dots). Chao2 index estimated species richness based on the number of species recorded only once and species recorded twice. More information on the method may be seen in the section Methods.
Taking into account the difference in sample size among habitats, the richest habitat was montane forest, followed by vegetation on rocky outcrop and grassland (Figure 13B).
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Figure 13. Ant species richness in different habitats of Mt. Namuli, Mozambique. A: Observed number of species collected in each habitat. B: Number of species in each habitat scaled (i.e., rarefied) by the smallest number of specimens collected in all habitats. This strategy allows comparison among sites with different sample sizes.
Of the 60 ant species collected on the Namuli massif, 61.67% were only collected in the forests, 11.67% were only found in the vegetation on rocky outcrops and 11.67% in the grasslands (Figure 14). Each habitat shared three species with each one of the other habitats, and no ant species was shared by all of them. Since our samples included high- and mid-elevation montane forests, as well as high- and mid-elevation gallery forests, we opted for including them in our fauna composition analysis. The results indicate the existence of two broad groups of ants on Mt. Namuli (Figure 15): one distributed in forest habitats, and other in open area habitats. Ant fauna composition between those groups differed by around 99%. Each one of those broader groups contains distinct ant communities. Forested habitats possess three communities: (1) mid-elevation gallery forests, with ant species that are 91% different from species found in other forest habitats; (2) mid-elevation montane forests, with species that are 71% distinct from the fauna in (3) high-elevation montane forest. Montane and gallery forests located higher than 1600 m possess virtually no difference in ant fauna (0.9 % of dissimilarity). The open area habitats house different ant communities inhabiting montane grasslands and vegetation on rocky outcrops; these faunas were 74% dissimilar (Figure 15).
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Figure 14. Venn diagram showing how many ant species were uniquely recorded from each habitat sampled on the Namuli massif, and how many were shared among them.
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Figure 15. Clusters of ant fauna composition collected in the Namuli Massif, Mozambique. Ant species encountered in open habitats (i.e., grasslands and vegetation on rocky outcrops) were 99% different from those found in forest. Open habitats clustered species found in montane grasslands and in vegetation on rocky outcrops (with 74% difference in species composition). Forested habitats clustered three different ant communities: (1) mid-elevation gallery forest, which is 91% distinct from the rest; and (2) mid-elevation montane forest that is around 71% distinct from the community in (3) high-elevation montane forest. The high-elevation montane forest community includes ant species found in montane and in gallery forests above an elevation of 1600 m (which are just 0.9% distinct).
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3. Discussion Montane forest, grassland and vegetation on rocky outcrops possess very distinctive ant communities at Namuli (Figures 14 and 15). Further, taking into account ant fauna composition, montane forests can be subdivided in three distinct components: high-elevation montane forests, mid-elevation montane forests, and mid-elevation gallery forests. Montane forests on the Namuli massif, while significantly fragmented, are apparently healthy habitats. Firstly, they support relatively high number of species, if compared with the other habitats found in the same region, and also if compared with forests in the Chambe basin on Mulanje. Secondly, we also recorded three species of driver ants (genera Dorylus and Aenictus). These nomads form massive columns of hundreds of thousands of ants (for some species, much more) to hunt mainly invertebrate prey in large numbers (Gotwald 1982), and they need large and healthy habitats to feed their extraordinarily large colonies (Gotwald 1995). The importance of montane forests on the Namuli massif is also supported by other taxa. High-elevation montane forests house: the vulnerable Dapple-throat, which only occurs on the Namuli massif and Mt. Mabu in Mozambique, plus two other localities in Tanzania; the endangered Spotted Ground Thrush; and also endangered Vincent's Bush Squirrel (BirdLife International 2013a, BirdLife International 2012a; Timberlake et al. 2009). Montane forest at mid-elevations concentrate the highest densities of the endangered bird Cholo Alethe and the vulnerable White-winged Apalis (BirdLife International 2013b, 2012b; Timberlake et al. 2009). The near-threatened Namuli Apalis only occurs on the Namuli massif in forest patches above 1400 m (BirdLife International 2012c). It is also the only home for the endemic and critically endangered Mount Namuli Pygmy Chameleon (Branch et al. 2014; Tolley & Bayliss 2014), and the near-endemic viper, Atheris mabuensis (Branch & Bayliss 2009). Our data show that a comprehensive ant inventory on Namuli is far from complete, and that more collection initiatives are necessary to more fully understand the diversity and distribution of ants in the area. Furthermore, the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot is generally understudied for ants, with ostensibly just one other ant inventory from the region, undertaken in Tanzania between 1995 and 1996 (Robertson, 2002). This draws attention to a substantial gap in the knowledge of ant distributions in the Afrotropical bioregion.
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CONCLUSIONS The Namuli massif has no conservation status, but its heterogeneous topography does not only provide breathtaking scenery, it has also been the setting for the evolution of a unique biota that is found nowhere else in the world. Previous expeditions have highlighted the conservation significance of Namuli and documented relatively high numbers of endemic species, particularly plants, birds, and butterflies (see Timberlake et al. 2009). More poorly studied have been the herpetofauna and invertebrates. The results of the Lost Mountain expedition thus make an important contribution to the growing inventory of reptiles and amphibians, as well as establishing the first documented inventory of ants.
Key conclusions that can be drawn from the results presented in this report are not solely related to ants: as ants respond to habitat changes and maintain ecological relationships with a large array of organisms, different ant communities indicate that those habitats and their ecosystems are also different from one another. Our findings clearly support the case that conservation efforts on Namuli incorporate different altitudinal zones, a mosaic of habitat types, and areas of high biodiversity – particularly high- and mid-elevation forests. Other studies have similarly shown that such an approach maximizes the conservation of a higher diversity of organisms (Dowsett-Lemaire 2008; Robertson 2002; Lovett 1998).
Our data show that forest habitats are the richest in ant species on the Namuli massif – around 60% of the species collected in our assessment only occurred in forests. Also, species composition is unevenly distributed in forested areas, and very distinct ant communities are found in different phyto-physiognomies, and in different altitudinal zones.
Our data further suggest that conservation efforts on the Namuli massif should prioritize not only the protection of all forests, but that they should emphasize the importance of intact forest structure and retaining riparian forest patches.
The presence of ant communities unique to both the grasslands and the vegetation on rocky outcrops of the Namuli massif, despite apparent paltry species richness, is indicative of their importance to the overall biodiversity of Namuli. The conservation importance of these open areas is also supported by other taxa. The Prince Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus regulus is endemic to the grasslands of the massif (Portik et al. 2013b), while the vulnerable grass Alloeochaete namuliensis is only found on the rocky ridges of the massif (Timberlake et al. 2014, 2009). This work lends further evidence to the conservation significance of Namuli. In addition to forming part of a major biogeographical link between southern Africa and East Africa, the Namuli massif supports high levels of herpetological and ant diversity, including five ant genera never before recorded in Mozambique. If this diversity is to be conserved, however, a mosaic of
23 habitat types along an altitudinal gradient and across ecotones must be protected. Most important, and also under the greatest threat, are all remaining mid-elevation forest patches. Not only was the clearing of these forests apparent during the expedition, but so too were impacts to the remaining forest structure from selective logging and uncontrolled fire originating from slash and burn agriculture. On a positive note, the high levels of ant diversity recorded and the presence of three driver ant species indicates that certain level of ecosystem health currently remains in the forests of Namuli. Periodic monitoring of these key taxa could prove useful to ongoing conservation efforts.
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REFERENCES Alonso, L.E. 2000. Ants as indicators of diversity In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (Eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. Andersen, A.N. 1990. The use of ant communities to evaluate change in Australian terrestrial ecosystems: a review and a recipe. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia, 16: 347-357.
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Bayliss, J.; Timberlake, J.; Branch, W.; Bruessow, C.; Collins, S.; Congdon, C.; Curran, M.; de Sousa, C.; Dowsett, R.; Dowsett-Lemaire, F.; Fishpool, L.; Harris, T.; Herrmann, E.; Georgiadis, S.; Kopp, M.; Liggitt, B.; Monadjem, A.; Patel, H.; Ribeiro, D.; Spottiswoode, C.; Taylor, P.; Willcock, S.; Smith, P. 2014. The discovery, biodiversity and conservation of Mabu forest—the largest medium-altitude rainforest in southern Africa. Oryx 48: 177-185. BirdLife International 2013a. Modulatrix orostruthus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3.
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FAO 2014. World reference base for soil resources 2014: International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps. FAO, Italy. Available at: http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/942e424c-85a9-411d-a739-22d5f8b6cc41/ Farooq, H.O.M.; Conradie, W. 2015. A second record of Scolecomorphus kirkii Boulenger, 1883 (Gymnophiona: Scolecomorphidae) for Mozambique. Herpetology Notes 8: 59–62. Gotelli, N.J.; Colwell, R.K. 2011. Estimating species richness. In: Magurran AE, McGill BJ, editors. Frontiers in Measuring Biodiversity. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 39-54. Gotwald, W. H., Jr. 1995. Army ants: the biology of social predation. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, xviii + 302 pp. Gotwald, W.H.Jr. 1982. Army ants. Pp. 157-254 In: Hermann, H. R. (ed.) Social insects. Volume 4. New York: Academic Press. Chen H. 2014. VennDiagram: Generate high-resolution Venn and Euler plots. R package version 1.6.9. http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=VennDiagram Hoffmann, B.D.; Griffiths, A.D.; Andersen, A.N. 2000. Response of ant communities to dry sulfur deposition from mining emissions in semi-arid northern Australia, with implications for the use of functional groups. Austral Ecology, 25: 653-663. Huis, A. 2003. Insects as food in sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 23(3): 163-185. Huis, A.; Itterbeeck, J.; Klunder, H.; Halloran, E.M.A.; Muir, G.; Vantomme, P. 2013. Edible insects: future prospects for food and feed security—Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO Forestry paper 171. Kates, R.W.; Clark, W.C.; Corell, R.; Hall, J.M.; Jaeger, C.C.; Lowe, I.; McCarthy, J.J.; Schellnhuber, H.J.; Bolin, B.; Dickson, N.M.; Faucheux, S.; Gallopin, G.C.; Grubler, A.; Huntley, B.; Jager, J.; Jodha, N.S.; Kasperson, R.E.; Mabogunje, A.; Matson, P.; Mooney, H.; Moore III, B.; O'Riordan, T.; Svedlin, U. 2001. Sustainability Science. Science, 292: 641-642. Kerbis Peterhans, J. 2008. Paraxerus vincenti. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3.
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Portik, D.M.; Mulungu, E.; Sequeira, D.; McEntee, J.P. 2013a. Herpetological surveys of the Serra Jeci and Namuli massifs, Mozambique, and an annotated checklist of the Southern Afromontane Archipelago. Herpetological Review , 44: 394-406. Portik, D.M.; Travers, S.L.; Bauer, A.M.; Branch, W.R. 2013b. A new species of Lygodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) endemic to Mt. Namuli, an isolated ‘sky island’ of northern Mozambique. Zootaxa, 3710(5): 415-435. R Core Team 2014. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL http://www.R-project.org/. Robertson, H. G. 2000. Comparison of leaf litter ant communities in woodlands, lowland forests and montane forests of north-eastern Tanzania. Biodiversity & Conservation vol. 11 (9): 1637-1652. Rodgers, W.A. 1993. The conservation of the forest resources of eastern Africa: past influences, present practices and future needs. In: Lovett J.C. and Wasser S.K. (eds), Biogeography and Ecology of the Rain Forests of Eastern Africa. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Santschi, F. 1914. Formicides de l'Afrique occidentale et australe du voyage de Mr. le Professeur F. Silvestri. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 8: 309-385. Silva, M.; Alshamali, F.; Silva, P.; Carrilho, C.; Mandlate, F.; Trovoada, M-J.; Černý, V.; Pereira, L.; Soares, P. 2015. 60,000 years of interactions between Central and Eastern Africa documented by major African mitochondrial haplogroup L2. Scientific Reports 5, Article number: 12526. http://www.nature.com/srep/2015/150727/srep12526/full/srep12526.html Timberlake, J.; Alves, M.T.; Burrows, J.E.; Coates Palgrave, F.M.; Hyde, M.A.; Massingue, A.O.; Matimele, H.A.; Osborne, J.; Hadj-Hammou, J. 2014. Alloeochaete namuliensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3.
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Tolley, K.; Bayliss, J. 2014. Rhampholeon tilburyi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3.
APPENDIX 1 – List of ant species collected on Mulanje massif, Malawi (May 2014), according to the habitat in which they were collected. Forest Grassland Woodland Veg. on rock Acropyga MW01 ✓ Axinidris MW01 ✓ ✓ Camponotus MW01 ✓ Camponotus MW02 ✓ Camponotus MW05 ✓ ✓ Camponotus MW03 ✓ Camponotus MW04 ✓ 29
Carebara MW01 ✓ Carebara MW02 ✓ Cataulacus MW01 ✓ Dorylus MW01 ✓ ✓ Hypoponera MW01 ✓ Hypoponera MW02 ✓ Hypoponera MW03 ✓ Hypoponera MW04 ✓ Hypoponera MW05 ✓ Lepisiota MW01 ✓ ✓ Leptogenys MW01 ✓ Mesoponera MW01 ✓ Monomorium MW01 ✓ Palthotyreus MW01 ✓ ✓ Paraparatrechina MW01 ✓ Pheidole MW01 ✓ Pheidole MW02 ✓ Plagiolepis MW01 ✓ Polyharchys MW01 ✓ Probolomyrmex MW01 ✓ Promyopias silvestrii ✓ Solenopesis MW02 ✓ Solenopsis MW01 ✓ Strumigenys MW01 ✓ Tapinoma MW01 ✓ Tetramorium MW01 ✓ ✓ Tetramorium MW02 ✓ Tetramorium MW03 ✓
APPENDIX 2 – List of ant species collected on Namuli massif, Mozambique (May 2014), according to the habitat in which they were collected. Forest Grassland Rocky outcrop Aenictus MZ01 ✓ Agraulomyrmex MZ01 ✓ Anochetus MZ01 ✓ Anochetus MZ02 ✓ Axinidris MZ01 ✓ Axinidris MZ02 ✓ Camponotus MZ01 ✓ Camponotus MZ02 ✓ 30
Camponotus MZ03 ✓ Carebara MZ01 ✓ Cataulacus MZ01 ✓ Crematogaster MZ01 ✓ Crematogaster MZ02 ✓ Crematogaster MZ03 ✓ ✓ Crematogaster MZ04 ✓ Crematogaster MZ05 ✓ Cyphoidris MZ01 ✓ Discothyrea MZ01 ✓ Discothyrea MZ02 ✓ Dorylus MZ01 ✓ ✓ Dorylus MZ02 ✓ Euponera MZ01 ✓ Hypoponera MZ01 ✓ Hypoponera MZ02 ✓ Hypoponera MZ03 ✓ Hypoponera MZ05 ✓ Lepisiota MZ01 ✓ Lepisiota MZ02 ✓ Lepisiota MZ03 ✓ Leptogenys MZ01 ✓ Mesoponera MZ01 ✓ ✓ Monomorium MZ01 ✓ Myrmicaria MZ01 ✓ ✓ Nylanderia MZ01 ✓ Palthotyreus MZ01 ✓ Parasyscia MZ01 ✓ Parasyscia MZ02 ✓ Pheidole MZ01 ✓ Pheidole MZ02 ✓ Forest Grassland Rocky outcrop Pheidole MZ03 ✓ Plagiolepis MZ01 ✓ Plagiolepis MZ02 ✓ ✓ Prionopelta MZ01 ✓ Solenopsis MZ01 ✓ Solenopsis MZ02 ✓ Strumigenys MZ01 ✓ Strumigenys MZ02 ✓ Strumigenys MZ03 ✓ Syllophopsis MZ01 ✓ Tapinoma MZ01 ✓ 31
Tapinoma MZ02 ✓ ✓ Technomyrmex MZ01 ✓ Tetramorium MZ01 ✓ Tetramorium MZ02 ✓ Tetramorium MZ03 ✓ ✓ Tetramorium MZ04 ✓ Tetramorium MZ06 ✓ ✓ Tetramorium MZ07 ✓ Tetramorium MZ08 ✓ Tetraponera MZ01 ✓ ✓
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Appendix 2: Baseline Study on the Management of Natural Resources in Currcua Community, Namuli LOST MOUNTAIN PROJECT NAMULI MOUNTAIN, ZAMBEZIA MAY 2014 BASELINE STUDY ON THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN CURRUCA COMMUNITY, NAMULI, DISTRICT OF GURUÉ, ZAMBÉZIA PROVINCE
REPORT DATE: SEPTEMBER 2014
Authored by: Geraldo Palalane & Canisio Macamo Edited by: Elizabeth O’Neill & Majka Burhardt
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...... 1
METHODOLOGY ...... 3
BACKGROUND: AREA OF STUDY ...... 4 Location ...... 4 Physical Features ...... 4 Climate ...... 4 Soils ...... 4 The Namuli Massif ...... 5 Main Biodiversity Features ...... 5 Brief History ...... 6 Ethnography of Namúli ...... 6 Ethnography of Curruca ...... 6
SOCIOCULTURAL ASSESSMENT ...... 6 Demographics ...... 6 Community Organization ...... 7 Infrastructure ...... 8 Recent Historical Events ...... 10 Gender Roles ...... 10 Diseases ...... 11
NATURAL RESOURCE USE AND AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY ...... 11 Non-Agricultural Use of Natural Resources ...... 11 Agricultural Activity ...... 12
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ...... 14
SOCIOECONOMIC DIAGNOSIS ...... 16
NEXT STEPS: OPTIONS TO ADDRESS DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES ...... 17
APPENDIX 1: LUPA FIELD INTERVIEW GUIDE ...... 20
APPENDIX 2: FREE PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSULTATION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ...... 36
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Soil characteristics ...... 5 Table 2: Leadership members of Curruca ...... 7 Table 3: Institutions and responsibilities in Curruca ...... 8 Table 4: Infrastructure locations ...... 9
Table 5: Historical events (2011 – 2014) ...... 10 Table 6: Profile of the activities done by community ...... 10
Table 7: Natural resources utilization ...... 11 Table 8. Production and sale of crops in Curruca...... 13 Table 9: Periods of Sowing and harvesting ...... 13
Table 10: Agriculture production in Mukunha locality ...... 13 Table 11: Selling prices at the market ...... 13 Table 12: School environmental problems and potential solutions ...... 14
Table 13: Community environmental problems and options ...... 15 Table 14: Problems and prioritization ...... 17 Table 15: Analysis of Strengthen, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats (SWOT) ...... 17 Table 16: Land use plan ...... 18 Table 17: Potential income generating activities ...... 18 Table 18: Recommendations to improve infrastructure and services ...... 18 Table 19: Recommendations for environmental education ...... 18 Table 20: Further studies and actions to improve the living conditions of communities surrounding Mount Namuli in an environmentally sustainable manner ...... 19
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Overview map ...... 1 Figure 2: Google Earth map showing community locations ...... 2 Figure 3: Organizational chart of the community ...... 7 Figure 4: One of the bridges on the way to Mukunha ...... 8 Figure 5: Participatory map infrastructures, elaborated by the community ...... 9 Figure 6: Participatory map of natural resources, elaborated by community...... 9 Figure 7 & 8: View of a potato field on the left and mixed crop field on right...... 12 Figure 9 & 10: The school children during the latrine construction at school ...... 15 Figure 11 & 12: Photos of the forest burning on a slope and of established farms ...... 16 Figure 13 & 14: Discussions with Curruca community during the SWOT analyses ...... 17
LIST OF ACRONYMS AIDS – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome CEPF – Critical Ecosystem Program Fund HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus IIAM – Agronomic Institution of Investigation Mozambique LUPA – Association for Community Development NGO – Non Government Organization SDAE – District Economic Activities Service SDPI – District Planning Infrastructures Service SWOT – Strengthen, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats
INTRODUCTION (Adapted from the Lost Mountain Summary Document) The Lost Mountain is a project about discovery, adventure, and ultimately survival in one of the world’s least explored and most threatened habitats. Mt. Namuli, a 7,936-foot granite monolith, is the largest of a group of isolated peaks that tower over the ancient valleys of northern Mozambique (Figure 1 and 2). Here, plants and animals have evolved as if on dispersed oceanic islands, so that individual mountains have become refuge to their own unique species of life, many of which have yet to be discovered or described by science. Biologists and conservationists from around the world have identified Mt. Namuli as a global hotspot: a place of critical biodiversity and an opportunity to model a new vision for wildlife preservation that integrates the wishes and needs of local people. The Lost Mountain is an international venture combining rock climbing, cliff-side scientific research, and integrated conservation planning. The purpose of the Lost Mountain project is to establish and document the ecological diversity and conservation potential in a region of isolated granite domes in eastern Africa. The project commenced in 2011 with a Phase I reconnaissance trip to Mt Namuli. Phase II took place in May of 2014, when an 18-person international team explored Malawi’s Mt. Mulanje and Mozambique’s Mt. Namuli, conducting scientific- and conservation-focused fieldwork, using rock climbing to access previously unexplored habitats, and capturing media of all efforts for the forthcoming film. Figure 1: Overview map
(Taken from: Timberlake, J.R., Dowsett- Lemaire, F., Bayliss, J., Alves T., Baena, S., Bento, C., Cook, K., Francisco, J., Harris, T., Smith, P.& de Sousa, C. (2009). Mt Namuli, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation. Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. 114 p.)
Community Natural Resources Assessment 1 LUPA
Figure 2: Google Earth map showing community locations LUPA (Associação para o Desenvolvimento Comunitário) is a Mozambique-based NGO. In 2013, Ukalene Productions and LUPA signed a memorandum of understanding for LUPA to carry out a rural development assessment with the Curruca community to determine the first steps of a viable and actionable integrated conservation plan predicated an economic development project focused on environmental sustainability. LUPA’s particular role was to carry out the survey related socio economic issues and income generation of the families.
LUPA’s area of interest for the Integrated Conservation Study was the whole region surrounding the Mount Namuli. LUPA’s long-term aim is for this region to move towards recognition by the government to be protected as a conservation area. In order to achieve this goal, the local communities on Mt Namuli should be involved to determine and administer levels of use and management of natural resources. As a first step toward that overall objective, LUPA pursued the following objectives during the rapid assessment in May of 2014:
• Analyze and evaluate interaction between humans and the region’s natural resources. • Identify potential areas for agricultural development and other alternative forms of income generation. • Identify ways to strengthen community management committees LUPA did the following in order to achieve the above objectives:
Community Natural Resources Assessment 2 LUPA • Held community wide meetings to present the project • Worked with a 10-person focus group • Conducted interviews with additional people throughout the community
This report provides the results of the socio-economic and natural resource use assessment with the Curruca (also spelled Kuruka and Carruca) community and surrounding areas. The report also seeks to recommend possible activities for a second phase of implementation.
METHODOLOGY The methodology used was mainly focused on participatory exercises involving all the community members of Curruca. Curruca was chosen as a representative sample for the larger Namuli region. Curruca also afforded the LUPA team proximity to the rest of the Lost Mountain expedition and its film crew as they were stationed in a backcountry camp (approximately one hours walk away). The following exercises for the survey were done using a fieldwork guide (Appendix 1): • Community organization (responsibilities, etc.) • Key historical events • Map of natural resources, including infrastructure • Map of SWOT – Strengthen Weakness, Opportunities and Threats • Matrix of problems and priorities • Key stakeholders influencing development (government agencies and NGO’s) LUPA began its work in Curruca by calling a meeting with the entire community on LUPA’s first day in the field. This meeting was organized in order to explain the objectives of the work. After the meeting, three groups were created: men, women and young people. Each group outlined a map of natural resources, infrastructures and the main problems affecting the area. After this activity all the groups joined together to present their results. The community then came to a consensus after evaluating the results from these three groups. LUPA then facilitated the creating of a 10-person focus group with five men and five women. These representatives were selected by the community to assist with conducting surveys and data collection during the fieldwork (interviews and field visits). Environmental education activities were conducted at the community level, followed by an exercise on environmental monitoring. Activities culminated with the construction of 2 latrines. In addition to the analysis conducted in Curruca, various institutions in Gurúe were contacted in order to determine the actual level of development in Namúli region, as well as future plans. The institutions contacted were: SDAE, SDPI, District Administration of Gurúe, Administrative Post of Gurúe and the Municipality. This report is the product of 14 days of social preparation using survey and planning techniques done in Curruca community, Mukunha locality, Gurúe district, by two LUPA facilitators.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 3 LUPA BACKGROUND: AREA OF STUDY
Location The locality of Mukunha is located in the district of Gurúe, 30 kilometers from the main road connecting the city of Gurúe in northern Zambézia province, and bound to the north by the district of Malema, the northwest with Cuamba district, the southwest with Milange district, the south with the districts of Namarroi and Ile, and the east with the district of Alto Molocué. Gurúe has an area of 6121 square kilometers and has an estimated population of 300,000. The city of Gurúe is surrounded by huge mountain ranges and is rich in biodiversity, characterized by a potential for tea production and directly and indirectly employs thousands of people.
Physical Features Namúli Mountain (2,419-meters) is the second highest mountain in Mozambique. It is located in Mukunha locality with an area of 173 square kilometers. It is surrounded by 4 zones, namely: Mukunha, Murabue, Curruca and Moresse.
Climate (Taken from: Timberlake, J.R., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Bayliss, J., Alves T., Baena, S., Bento, C., Cook, K., Francisco, J., Harris, T., Smith, P.& de Sousa, C. (2009). Mt Namuli, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation. Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. 114 p.) Climatic data for the Namuli massif itself at 1800–2000 m are not available. The only available data are for Gurué town at its southern foot at an altitude of 730 m, where the rainfall in probably significantly less and mean temperatures certainly higher. Mean annual rainfall over 28 years at Gurué town is 1995.7 mm (Kassam et al. 1981). There is a distinct rainy season from November to March, with each of these months having over 300 mm precipitation (mean for March, the wettest month, is 357.8 mm) and a dry season from May to October with less than 60 mm/month (mean of just 26.1 mm in September). Mean maximum temperatures are 28.0oC (ranging from 32.5o in October to 23.0o in July), while mean minima are 15.7oC (ranging from 12.3o in July to 18.3o in January). Potential evapotranspiration is 1226.7 mm/year, some 770 mm/year less than precipitation. According to FAO’s climatic resources inventory map for Mozambique (FAO 1982), the Namuli area has the longest growing season of any are in the country at 300 days, with a moderately cool (15-20 C) temperature regime during the growing period.
Soils The larger region of Mukunha is characterized by plateaus intersected by rocky slopes, dense forest, woodland, grassland, cultivated areas by population converge (mass destruction). According to analysis made in the laboratory by IIAM Maputo in 2009, the results show the following characteristics (Table 1):
Community Natural Resources Assessment 4 LUPA Table 1: Soil characteristics Soil group Litic soils Characteristics Brown sandy and very shallow soils on the rocks Geomorphology Areas with erosion and rocky outcrops Inclination (%) >30% Top soil-Sub soil texture Altered rock Depth of the soil 0 - 30 drainage excessive
The Namuli Massif (Taken from: Timberlake, J.R (2007). Mount Namuli: A Conservation Assessment and Proposal Outline, unpublished report, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K.) The Namuli massif, the highest point being Mt. Namuli itself (37o03'E, 15o22'S), lies immediately to the north of Gurué town in Zambézia Province in N Mozambique. The study area covers about 180 km2 between the Likungo and Malema valleys, and is perhaps the largest extent of montane plateau in N Mozambique. The broader upland area around the Namuli massif covers around 430 km2 and is primarily composed of intrusive granite-porphyrite, about 1100–850 million years old. Mt Namuli is the second highest point in the country after Mt Binga in the Chimanimani Mountains on the border with Zimbabwe. Within the study area the main rivers are the Rio Malema east of the main plateau flowing to the north to join the Rio Lurio, and the Rio Likungo to the west of the main massif flowing southwards to the Indian Ocean near Quelimane. The northern flanks of the Namuli massif are drained by the Rio Namparro, which downstream joins the Malema. The plateau part of the massif slopes at 1700–1900 m gently from the south west to north east, with the largest grassland area to the east (the Muretha or Murexa plateau) at around 1850 m. There are smaller plateaux to the north-east. Apart from Mt Namuli itself, the most spectacular cliffs are above Gurué facing south, rising around 700 m above the town. There are seven peaks above 2000 m, with the two most spectacular being the double-peaked Mt Namuli itself at 2412 m at the north-eastern edge of the massif The area is possibly the wettest in the country with the longest growing season. Gurué town, at an altitude of 730 m, has a mean annual rainfall of 1996 mm. Rainfall up on the plateau is undoubtedly much higher, and it is often cloud-covered. Gurué is a rapidly growing town, and the main administrative centre. Moderately good roads link it to Mocuba–Quelimane and to Milanje–Malawi.
Main Biodiversity Features The main habitats of conservation significance on Mt Namuli are moist forests and upland grasslands. (Timberlake, J.R (2007). Mount Namuli: A Conservation Assessment and Proposal Outline, unpublished report, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, U.K.). More details on the biodiversity of Mt Namuli can be found in the accompanying biological summary by Dr. Flavia Esteves, lead scientist for the Lost Mountain Project.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 5 LUPA Brief History Since 2005 there have been several known studies on Mt. Namuli, including: the 2007 Darwin Initiative Award Study (with KEW, IIAM, and others); Renata Jagustovic’s 2010 MSc study on the biodiversity of Namuli’s Rainforest, and Portik et al 2013 report of the first herpetological collection. In addition, World Vision has been involved in the region. At this time LUPA has not been able to get an accurate account of what work and studies World Vision conducted. What is known is that they did distribute potato seeds in 2011 and were involved in other initiatives in 2004. A brief history of the Namuli Massif is given in the Darwin report. For the purpose of this report it’s worth noting the following: • As of 2007 the estimated population in the Malema valley was 7,000 people. • Mt Namuli is considered the ancestral home of the Macua people (a group found across Northern Mozambique and in Southern Malawi and Southern Tanzania).
Ethnography of Namúli "All Lómwés express feelings of affection for the special Montes Namuli which are considered as the cradle of humanity, there are the footprints of early humans" (Rita-Ferreira 1975:207). Mount Namúli is known as the spirit mountain. Most of the people who live close to the mountain say there are fingerprints at the top of Namúli. Because of this belief, the Curruca community maintains that no one is allowed to climb the mountain without first having a ceremony at the Queen’s residence and gaining her permission. If somebody fails to do the ceremony they may wind up lost within the mountain’s forests and clouds. At this time the people in Curruca and the surrounding areas still believe this myth and tell this story. According to the text of Elijah Ciscato in 2007, a former European resident of Gurué said the two mountain ridges were compared to both breasts and that therefore the name Namúli derives from "namwali" (young woman), but there is no confirmation of this.
Ethnography of Curruca According to some former residents the name Curruca emerged from a sacred forest where elders hunted when they needed to perform a ritual to inspire success in business.
SOCIOCULTURAL ASSESSMENT
Demographics The Mukunha locality has a total of 10,113 people, of whom 4,924 men and 5,189 women, and 16 cells in the aforementioned 4 zones (Mukunha, Murabue, Curruca and Mores), according to the data provided by the administrative post of Gurúe. The zone of Curruca is divided into two cells: Curruca and Chipe. This study was conducted in the Curruca cell located 20 kilometers north of the center of the tea plantations near the town of Gurué. According to the leader of Curruca, Mr. Cardoso Mwanacanja, Curruca has a population of 3,437 habitants, of which 363 are children (149 girls and 214 boys between 5 and 16). These
Community Natural Resources Assessment 6 LUPA L@N156A!=667!24!86!B4=L@5C67!89!236!(7C@=@A25;2@Q6!T4A2!4L!:1516!;A!2369!;56!=42!@=!;BB457;=B6! W@23!236!=;2@4=;
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Infrastructure The roads are difficult to access from the main road that connects the city of Gurué to surrounding urban areas. The only medium that is used to reach Namúli are motorized two- wheelers. The roads are completely degraded including the bridges (see Figure 4) that need rehabilitation. (See Table 3 for details on locations).
Figure 4: One of the bridges on the way to Mukunha The community has one primary school with classes from first to fifth grade. The school has a total of 319 students of which 163 are boys and 156 are girls. Note: more girls are listed in this figure then are mentioned as total number of girls in the community above. This is because girls come to school from the neighboring communities. Again, these are numbers LUPA is working to confirm. The school was built of natural materials prone to breaking down (walls of blown block and plaster, with a cover of grass and cuttings). Two teachers' houses are built of conventional materials. See Table 4 for infrastructure locations in Curruca, Figure 5 for a participatory map of infrastructures, elaborated by the community, and Figure 6 for participatory map of natural resources, elaborated by community. There is a church constructed of conventional materials belonging to the Baptist Union. Most of the resident’s houses are constructed by conventional materials, such as brick and zinc sheets. There are no standpipes for water supply to the community. Residents have to go to the Malema River and the Licungo River in order to get water. There is no electricity in the area. The only sources of lighting in homes are candles and lanterns. To cook food, families rely on firewood from the forest on the slopes of the mountain. Coal is not locally produced. The habit is to only use dry wood for fires.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 8 LUPA Table 4: Infrastructure locations Units Distance School 100 meters and inside the residential area Shops 200/400 meters of the residencies Main road 21 km from Curruca to Gurué town Church 2 km from concentration of the houses
Figure 5: Participatory map infrastructures, elaborated by the community
Figure 6: Participatory map of natural resources, elaborated by community.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 9 LUPA Recent Historical Events LUPA asked Curruca residents about notable events in the past five years (Table 5).
Table 5: Historical events (2011 – 2014) Year Events 2014 In February there was significant rainfall resulting in flooding and damage to 3 bridges along the road that connects the city of Gurué and the location of Mukunha. As a result of this disaster residents of Mukunha were without communication with the surrounding areas for about 2 months. 2013 Lack of rainfall throughout the year caused drought in the region. 2012 Harsh weather brought frost across the Mukunha region. It was a cold never before seen, according to residents. Crops in the fields were all frost-burned and famine gripped the community. 2011 Strong winds destroyed several homes and other infrastructure in the region.
Gender Roles The division of labor in the community is proportional since most families have both husband and wife at home. The division of areas for agricultural practice is fair for both. There are cases of families where the husband is out of Curruca working, but the numbers are few. There is a sharing of tasks within households, although women are still busier than men. Beyond the farm, women still have to cook for the family, fetch water, care for the children and perform other tasks (Table 6). Table 6: Profile of the activities done by community Activity Role of Men Role of Women Access and control Agriculture of subsistence: The Soil preparation, Same activities as Both men and most important activity in the seed release and men women have zone. Use hoes and machetes. harvest production access to land for Practiced on the slopes of production. mountains and small plains where the river passes. Fetching of fire wood, water and Men also seek Women collect Women and men fruits: Firewood is the main firewood in the firewood for domestic have access to, and source of energy in the forest, including activities. control of, this community. It is used for cooking timber for activity. and heat. Fruit is an integral part construction and of the diet of this community, furniture. particularly banana. Charcoal production: This is an No No Both activity that is seen as a source of household income in rural areas. This practice results in very high levels of forest degradation Production of alcoholic Only one producer Women produce Men have greater beverages (local trade) of Cachaço and a Kabanga (local drink control of this
Community Natural Resources Assessment 10 LUPA Activity Role of Men Role of Women Access and control few consumers made from bran) activity due to the influence of Union Baptist Church Emigration: In the community of No No Curruca there are no cases of emigration of people from outside the area, or the reverse
Diseases According to the interviews conducted with local people, there are no alarming cases of HIV/AIDS. The community cites the reasons as follows: because there are few cases of prostitution and people in the area respect the culture that looks down on adultery. As there is no local health center in Curruca is it difficult to verify this finding. The Zambezia province has a 10-12% HIV rate. LUPA did not discuss Malaria but suspects it is an issue in the lower elevations of the community.
NATURAL RESOURCE USE AND AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY
Non-Agricultural Use of Natural Resources The people surrounding Namuli make extensive use of surrounding biodiversity including forest resources, species, and water. They use everything available (Tables 7 & 8). Table 7: Natural resources utilization Natural resources Utilization Malema river and effluent − Fishing, consuming of water, washing clothes, personal hygiene of Licungo. Forest − Cutting of timber and fire wood. − Fires for hunting and opening of fields. This is a major problem in the whole surrounding area of Namuli Mountain. − Cutting of indigenous species to produce timber for furniture and construction. This specie is known locally by the name of Tchetchere (Faurea wentzeliana).. − Protea welwitschii is used for medicinal treatment of hernias. − Bersama abyssinica, the bark is used as medicine. − Syzygium cordatum and guineenses are used as fruits. Animals − Consuming of some animals such as: monkeys, antelopes and rats Rocks − Relaxing place on top of the mountains and used as sharpening of machetes knifes Eucalyptus plantation − Belongs to private company.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 11 LUPA Agricultural Activity The analysis of crop production and sales was conducted via a discussion with 10 selected people from the community. The group was asked a range of questions that they answered according to the practices used in Curruca. Field visits also were done. More than 100 families in the Curruca region grow and process potatoes, beans, maize, and/or cabbage along with other smaller crops (Table 8). The timing of sowing and harvesting varies across by crop (Table 9). While most of the people operating farms use areas of 4.000 m² (less than 0,5 hectare), the total area under cultivation as well as total production have been increasing annually (Table 10). Seeds and seedlings originate from several sources, including: • In 2011, World Vision distributed white pulp potato seeds • In 2013, a Malawian citizen introduced the red potatoes, which producers say was better than the white in terms of taste and rapid growth. • Cassava stems are re-rooted over and over. • Growers buy vegetables seeds in Gurúe town and other places. Produce is sold locally or in Gurúe, with prices differing between the two markets (Table 11). Gurúe is 21 km from Curruca. Producers who have motorbikes carry their products to town. The remaining producers who have no means of transport wake up at 3 a.m. and walk five hours to the point of sale. While these activities generate some income, earning is constrained as producers do not have: • Knowledge about business management. • Resources beyond the necessary seeds and hoes. • Knowledge regarding techniques to provide the quality or quantity of crops necessary to meet the market demand. • Access to technical assistance to improve the quality/quantity of the crops. • A warehouse facility that would allow producers to store crops until time of sale. • Formal marketing. • An established net of commercialization.
Figure 7 & 8: View of a potato field on the left and mixed crop field on right.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 12 LUPA Table 8. Production and sale of crops in Curruca. Current Production and Sale: Curruca Potatoes Beans Maize Cabbage Annual yield (tons) 1,600 155 3,080 76 Area in production (ha) 158 111 1,467 2 Price in Gurue (Mt/50 kg) 750 650 650 20 Revenue (Mt/year) 23,700,000 2,020,200 40,049,100 1,520 Table 9: Periods of Sowing and harvesting Crops Sowing (month) Harvest (month) Potatoes May- August and August – In the lower zone September –December Beans November February and March Cassava January to September After a year Maize August and September February and March Tomato August November Cabbage April and May July and August Table 10: Agriculture production in Mukunha locality Area in Production (ha) Yield (tons) Crop 2013 2014 2013 2014 Cassava 716 737 6802 7002 Potato 158 162 1580 1620 Maize 1.467 1504 3080,7 3158 Bean 111 113 155,4 158 Tomato 27 30 445,5 600 Cabbage 2 3 76 114 Source: District Economic Activities Service (SDAE-Gurué) Table 11: Selling prices at the market Product Sale Price Observations Potato A 50-kg bag retails for 750 Mts at the Gurue market. During peak season, producers who have bikes make on average of 6 trips to the city each week, which means a revenue of 4,500 Mts/week. For producers who travel on foot, they can carry 20 kgs which sells for 300 Mts (1,800 Mts at 6 trips a week). Beans Beans are sold locally in Curruca at 10,00Mts for a 0.5 L can.When transported to the central market Gurué, beans sell for 650 Mts per 50-kg bag. In high season the producers have a weekly income of 5,000 Mts. Cabbage Cabbage is sold locally and at the central market Gurué for 20 Mts. In high season the producers earn 300 to 400,00 Mts per week. Tomato The tomato is sold locally and at the central market Gurué for 10 Mts per pile (5 tomatoes ). The weekly income is 800 to 1,000 Mts. Cassava Cassava is not sold in Curruca. It is consumed by the growers’ families directly.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 13 LUPA SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS The main local environmental problems and potential solutions were discussed at the school and community levels to obtain different perspectives of the actors. At Curruca Primary School, two workshops were carried out. An environmental action plan was created with the participation of students (Table 12). Two latrines also were built to address immediately the lack of proper waste management (Figure 9 & 10). At the community level, LUPA conducted a meeting attended by 149 people (98 women and 51 men) where they discussed the interplay between humans and the environment in the area. Key environmental problems were identified, along with potential solutions (Table 13). Table 12: School environmental problems and potential solutions Environmental Causes Consequences Solutions Implementa Responsibility problems tion period Forest fires − Hunting of − Destruction of − Provide new − Through − Students rats, habitat of technologies to the year and monkeys, and reptiles, hunt rats. E.g., teachers other animals insects, grass, metal traps − Recreation etc. − Punish children − Opening − Fruit and found burning paths to the shadow trees the forest mountain destruction Water − Defecation in − Diarrheal − Construction of − May 2014 − Students pollution a open space diseases, water improved and regular and because of resources and latrines maintenan teachers lack of other risks ce latrines Air Pollution − Forest fires − Respiratory diseases and destruction of the environment. Erosion − Opening of − Opening of − Opening of field − Through − Everyone in fields on the craters can be in the lower the year Curruca slopes areas dangerous for zones the children, − Designing also causes loss agriculture of arable land, around contours pollution of water resources, and increases potential for mudslides on steep slopes
Community Natural Resources Assessment 14 LUPA
Figure 9 & 10: The school children during the latrine construction at school Table 13: Community environmental problems and options Environmental Causes Consequences Solutions Period of Responsibility problems execution Forest fires − Hunting of − Destruction of − Adoption of − Throughout − Everyone in rats, monkeys reptile, insects, new the year Curruca and other grass habitats technologie animals − Destruction of s for − Fire wood shadow and fruit hunting production trees rats. E.g., − Opening of metal traps fields (Figures − Punishment & & 8) to the people found burning the forest Low − Intense winter − Hunger in the zone − Stock food − Summer − Everyone in temperatures creates frost − All the vegetation for the Curruca in all Curruca and fields winter region experience period frostburn Erosion − Opening of − Opening of craters − Opening of − Through − Everyone in fields in the can be dangerous fields in out the Curruca slopes of the for the children, lower areas year mountain also causes loss of − Uncontrolled arable land, grazing pollution of water resources, and increases potential for mudslides on steep slopes
Community Natural Resources Assessment 15 LUPA
Figure 11 & 12: Photos of the forest burning on a slope and of established farms
SOCIOECONOMIC DIAGNOSIS During the meeting of 149 people from community of Curruca, three groups were organized— women, men, and younger people—to identify the main problems affecting the region. Through discussions, each group came up with a list of problems and then all three groups came together and presented their work. After the presentations there were discussions and the groups reached consensus regarding which problems most affect the development of the region (Table 14). The same group also did an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) (Table 15). These community discussions as well as LUPA’s own analysis make clear that poverty overall is the fundamental issue in the region, not just in terms of income generation, but also in terms of lack of clean water, sanitation, or access to health care and quality education. This results from and is exacerbated by a number of issues, including: • Lack of access, identified as the #1 problem facing the community. The road is damaged allowing only motorcycles to pass through. Most bridges that exist along the road are in an advanced state of degradation. • There is little involvement of state institutions, NGOs and the private sector in the region (e.g., SDAE extension services fail to assist the region due to lack of access or transport). • There is no electricity in the zone or boreholes where the communities live. • There is no Health post in the locality of Mukunha. The need to meet subsistence requirements locally through agricultural production and use of natural resources results in several major issues, foremost among them including: • Forest fires, the main locally-driven problem. This practice results from hunting and secondly for the preparation of sites for farms. The pressure on mountain slopes is huge. • There is big pressure on the forest for timber, construction of houses and furniture. There is also significant cutting of trees for firewood.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 16 LUPA Table 14: Problems and prioritization Problems Priorities Roads and bridges 1 Health post 2 Construction of improved schools 3 Network for cellphones 4 Pension for the elderly 5 Improved seeds 6 Credit concession 7 Table 15: Analysis of Strengthen, Weakness, Opportunity, Threats (SWOT) Strengths Opportunities • Local people united and willing to work • Potential for agriculture of conservation • Local leadership is trusted of all the residents • Implantation of hydro electric dam • Local people comply with the internal rules of • Implantation of mineral water factory land management and relationship with • Potential for (limited) tourism development surrounding areas Weaknesses Threats • There is no electricity in the zone • Intensive rains and cyclones • Lack of boreholes in the village • Difficult access on the roads mainly during • There is no management plan of natural rainy season resources • Little intervention of the private sector and state on socio economic side
Figure 13 & 14: Discussions with Curruca community during the SWOT analyses
NEXT STEPS: OPTIONS TO ADDRESS DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES Through discussions with the community and LUPA’s own analysis, a range of options were identified that might respond to the many development challenges facing Curruca (Tables 16 to 19). Carefully elaborating and pacing these responses will be critical to ensure, for example, that increasing agricultural productivity does not occur before the community is ready to do so
Community Natural Resources Assessment 17 LUPA in an environmentally sustainable manner. As a result, LUPA recommends that several further studies are conducted and steps taken to meet the following objectives (Table 20): • Secure good land and resource management • Build the capacity of local people and organizations • Increase income generation for families Table 16: Land use plan Problems Gaps Potential Responses Uncontrolled use of Lack of assistance through - Land Use Plan (natural resources zoning) natural resources in the District Economic - Definition of conservation areas with the entire region. Activities Services. restricted rules. - Delimitation of the community land - Attraction of investors and promotion of partnerships with communities. Table 17: Potential income generating activities Products Gaps Potential Responses Beans, Potato, Maize Low production and marketing - SDAE as to assist the producers. of the product - Establish connectionss with private sector. Carbon credits Lack of market to sell the -Make a study of production and sales in Carbon credits the region Mineral water Difficult access to the -Conduct a viability study of production and mountain processing Crop diversification Sub nutrition -Introduce fruit trees adapted to the local climate -Nutritional education Tourism Knowledge about tourism -Vet a small scale tourism support network Lack of infrastructure with local guides and porters. Table 18: Recommendations to improve infrastructure and services Problems Potential Responses Difficult access obstructs development Repair and maintain roads and bridges Health services are far Establish a local health post Educational quality and services Improve school services, regularly lessons. Lack of access to clean water Construct water pump or open bore holes. Table 19: Recommendations for environmental education Problems Gaps Potential Responses Fires, erosion, Lack of natural resources -Create and strengthen Natural Resources agriculture on the committee Committees slopes -Establish a Rural Extension Service in the area to promote good practices in agriculture of conservation There are no projects There are no institutions Create a program of environmental on environmental /organizations assisting on this education in schools and communities education component
Community Natural Resources Assessment 18 LUPA Table 20: Further studies and actions to improve the living conditions of communities surrounding Mount Namuli in an environmentally sustainable manner. Note that Objectives 1 and 2 should be well advanced as preconditions for Objective 3 to ensure that increased economic activity does not outpace the communities’ ability to sustainable manage its natural resources. Objectives Activities Expected results Objective 1: Secure good land management - Land use plan (natural resources zonation) -Mapping and - Define conservation areas with restricted management of land is rules environmentally -Implement community land delimitation sustainable - Land security granted Objective 2: Strengthen local organizations Communities -Create and legalize the natural resources -Community organization committees strengthened -Conduct workshops on environmental -Improved management education and rules of sustainable of natural resources management Public -Establish and strengthen extension services -Technologies and best to promote good agricultural practices practices disseminated. Schools -Create environmental clubs in each school -School children capacity -Conduct workshops on environmental strengthened on issues education and rules of sustainable related to environment management -Best practices on natural resources management Women/men -Workshop about nutrition - Improved health status -Workshops about potable water and of the people sanitation -Good practices to the environment and sanitation. Objective 3: Increase income generation of the families Potential income - Survey the economic potential in each -Economic and generators: community development plan − Beans -Create and organize groups of interest for elaborated. − Potato each activity -Group of producers − Maize -Capacitate the producers strengthened. − Carbon credit - Supply tools -Increased productivity − Mineral water -Install school demonstration fields to and production − Cultural diversification improve the technology -Partnerships established − Tourism - Attraction of investors/interested partners to improve the productive - Link with Market chain of economic development.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 19 LUPA APPENDIX 1: LUPA FIELD INTERVIEW GUIDE
LUPA FIELD INTERVIEW GUIDE
GUIÃO DE TRABALHO DE CAMPO EM NAMULI
1.1 Apresentação dos principais aspectos do Projecto a comunidade
Conteúdos:
- Objectivos
- Metodologia de trabalho
- Duração do Projecto
1.2 Identificação de áreas com potencial para as actividades agrícolas
Conteúdos:
- Localização da área em termos de hectares (confirmação com o GPS), condições de acessos da estrada principal (E. Nacional) até ao local incluindo a distância (kms).
- Confirmação da existência de alguns recursos tais como energia, fontes de água e outros. Situação actual da produção agrícola nas áreas identificadas.
1.3. Identificar o potencial económico e a cadeia de valor dos produtos.
Conteúdos:
- Abordagem da situação dos problemas actuais ao longo da cadeia de valor dos produtos locais, tendo em consideração a produção, processamento, comercialização e acessos a créditos.
- Análise da viabilidade económica dos produtos locais.
1.4 Criar/fortalecer os comités de gestão comunitária
Conteúdo:
- Saber se existem os comités de gestão comunitária através da liderança?
- Realizar um encontro formal com os membros da comunidade para a criação ou o fortalecimento dos comités de gestão.
- Encontro com os membros eleitos de forma a definir e coordenar como é que funcionará o comité
- Os papéis e responsabilidades do comité.
1.5 Criação de parcerias entre a comunidade e o sector privado
Community Natural Resources Assessment 20 LUPA Conteúdo:
- O que é parceria?
- Vantagens e desvantagens da parceria.
- Modelos de parcerias: Parceria, Joint venture agreement e contrato de concessão
1.6. Monitoria ambiental e plano de acção
TRABALHO DE CAMPO
1° dia
Apresentação ao Administrador distrital
Saida para o campo
2° dia
Apresentação aos líderes locais, assentamento do acampamento e planificação das actividades
3° dia
Participantes: Reunião geral com toda comunidade
Agenda:
- Apresentação dos participantes
- Objectivos do trabalho
- Breve apresentação sobre o Projecto
Organização da comunidade (Incluir, professores, conselho de escola, conselho de gestão de recursos naturais, comité de água, etc)
Nome Posição Responsabilidade
Community Natural Resources Assessment 21 LUPA
2. Organigrama da comunidade/Breve historial da comunidade
3. Marcos históricos (cheias, ciclones, boas produções, pragas, doenças, guerras)
Ano Acontecimentos importantes (últimos 10 anos)
Community Natural Resources Assessment 22 LUPA
Seleccionar os líderes comunitários/ membros do Conselho Desenvolvimento comunitário
4. Análise organizacional - analisar cada instituição existente (Forcas, fraquezas, oportunidades e ameaças)
Indicador Inicio projecto Actual Nível
Liderança -Não tem líder; Tem liderança eleita com os orgãos de Bom direcção. Os membros já têm algum -Não tem estrutura; conhecimento sobre o associativismo. A associaçao já tem um plano de rega e está a -Não tem conhecimento dos princípios defenir um plano de campanha. de associativismo;
-Não tem estatutos nem regulamento interno.
Legalidade e -Não está legalizada Associação legalizada publicada no BR . Muito Bom composição - Não tem estatutos Há vontade dos membros em participar.
-Membros são identificados com facilidade
Planificação e -Não tem conhecimento de contabilidade Alguns membros com conhecimentos Bom e de gestão básicas; Gestão de contabilidade. Fazem registos de -Não tem plano de actividades; produção e das vendas obtidas, contudo é necessário continuar a -Não há prestação de contas capacitar.
Componente -Não possui atividades econômicas Associaçao com actividade económica Bom de rendimento. Elaborar um plano de Económica - Não tem plano de negócios negócios e como consequencia
Community Natural Resources Assessment 23 LUPA -Não possui nenhum sistema de gestão obtiveram um crédito no valor de 94.000 meticais no FIIL. Produziram -Não tem contratos com provedores de serviços batata, alho, tomate, couve, beterraba e repolho, cebola e feijão -Não tem contrato de venda de produtos manteiga. Possuem 2.300 mts da celebrado venda dos produtos. -Nao fundo social próprio, para cobrir as despesas mínimas de funcionamento
Implementar O grupo tem vontade de elaborar e O grupo participa activamente nos projectos Muito Bom projectos implementar projecto de rendimento (100%).
Fortalecimento -Fraca diversificação de actividades Ainda não estao consolidadas as actividades Bom socioeconómicas economicas. Precisam de mais tempo de assistencia. Já pagam as quotas (650 meticais) -Não tem autonomia financeira (cotas, e tem acesso a credito. Estao na fase inicial jóias, crédito formal, rendas de contruir a sede da organização. Tem diversificadas) assistencia com SDAE para ir dando assitencia a produçao. -Não tem um projecto colectivo
-Não tem sede própria
-Tem parceria com SDAE
4.1. Agentes de desenvolvimento
Instituicoes Responsabilidades
Governo local
ONGs
Comerciantes
4° dia
5. Matriz de priorização de problemas do uso da terra e dos recursos naturais
Problemas Prioridades
Community Natural Resources Assessment 24 LUPA
6. Mapeamento participativo dos recursos naturais e infra estruturas
6.1. Infra estruturas
7. Recursos naturais existentes/ utilização
Recursos naturais Utilizacao observacao
Community Natural Resources Assessment 25 LUPA Nota: Identificar se há espécies em vias de extinção
8. Papel da Mulher/Homem no uso dos recursos naturais
Actividade Papel Homem Papel da Mulher Acesso e controle
5° Dia
-Organizar um grupo de 5 a 10 pessoas para visitar a área proposta para o investimento. Recolher o máximo possível todos os dados concernentes a área, com auxílio do GPS..
- Criar/fortalecer os comités de gestão dos recursos naturais nas comunidades.
- Realizar um encontro com o comité eleito com a finalidade de definir papéis e responsabilidades.
6° Dia
- Participantes: Comité de gestão e 5 produtores médios convidados
9. Identificação das potencialidades da comunidade/dimensionamento (fontes de renda)
Potencialidades Unidade de medida Quantidades (2010,2011,2012) Potencialidade 1 Potencialidade 2 Potencialidade 3
Community Natural Resources Assessment 26 LUPA Após identificação das potencialidades económicas da comunidade irá analisar-se a cadeia de valor de cada produto produzido localmente (áreas trabalhadas, produção, as receitas obtidas, comercialização,…)
10. Cadeia do valor do produto XXXXXXXX
Situação actual e problemas Potencialidade e a cadeia de valor óptima
Produção Tamanho do potencial que é explorado O potencial existente (máx. que podemos alcançar) actualmente.
500 há com produção de 1.000 ton 100 hectares com produção de 100 ton de milho, dando receita anual de 25.000 meticais (fazer estudo de viabilidade para saber o ganho/família) Existência de investidores interessados. Disponibilidade de micro créditos, empregos criados,
Falta de capital para investir
Fazer ligações com empresas que estão interessadas em comprar o produto Falta de mercado
Capacitar os produtores em tecnologias melhoradas
Conhecimento de técnicas melhoradas
Quantidade de recursos disponíveis Quantidade de recursos humanos e materiais, financeiros actualmente necessários para podermos explorar plenamente o potencial disponível
Precisamos cerca de 2.000 pessoas ou 4 tractores
Trabalham 400 pessoas empregadas
Community Natural Resources Assessment 27 LUPA Processamento/transformação Quantidade e qualidade dos produtos Quantidade e qualidade dos produtos a processar actualmente processados
Os produtores deverão ter acesso a vender os produtos numa unidade de processamento e saber como apresentar os produtos
Os produtores não tem conhecimento de gestão empresarial de negócios Os produtores deverão ser dotados de conhecimentos básicos de gestão empresarial
Infra estruturas de processamento Infra estruturas de processamento/ transformação /transformação actualmente existentes necessárias
Comercialização Quantidade comercializada actualmente Quantidade de produtos que é possível comercializar caso explore o potencial máximo
Pelo menos 3 comerciantes vocacionados a comprar e
vender o produto Não existe uma rede de comercialização do produto
Infra estruturas de transporte e Infra estruturas de transporte e comercialização comercialização existentes actualmente necessárias
Não existe um armazém Necessário existir um armazém com capacidade de 10 ton
Campanhas de marketing actualmente Campanhas de promoção de marketing necessárias realizadas, de promoção de marketing da comunidade com base nas potencialidades
Desconhece-se a existência de milho na Levar uma campanha de marketing do milho através de zona folhetos, tipo de variedades existentes, quantidades…
Community Natural Resources Assessment 28 LUPA
11. Plano de acção para geração de renda
Produtos Lacunas Estratégia para implementação Mel
Artesanato
Gergelim
Feijão
Carbono
Turismo (guias locais, tradutores, plantas medicinais)
Community Natural Resources Assessment 29 LUPA
7° Dia
- Participantes: Comité de gestão a) Capacitação em metodologias para criação de parcerias entre o sector privado e a comunidade. b) Instituições (agentes de desenvolvimento, ONGs, investidores privados, comerciantes)
12. Visão da comunidade (2014 – 2015)
Anos Actividades 2014
2015
8° Dia
Community Natural Resources Assessment 30 LUPA 13.1. Monitoria ambiental (escola)
Problemas ambientais Causas Consequencias
• Corte de arvores • Produção de carvão, para a pratica de agricultura, produção de estacas para construção de casas.
• Queimadas • Para agricultura. Descontroladas
• Conflito homem animal • Os animais invadem as Machambas
13.2.Plano de acção
Problemas ambientais Solucoes Perido execucao Resp.
• Corte de arvores • Os membros da comunidade não cortam as árvores pela raíz para garantir a renovação da arvore. Existe tambem
lei comunitaria que • Queimadas proibe o corte de Descontroladas arvores nativas e de fruteiras. Existem leis • Conflito homem dentro do regulamento animal do CGRN, mas não são aplicadas.
• Quanto ao conflito homem animal, a comunidade está em conversação com a REM
Community Natural Resources Assessment 31 LUPA 9° Dia
14.1. Monitoria ambiental (comunidade)
Problemas ambientais Causas Consequencias
• Corte de arvores • Produção de carvão, para a pratica de agricultura, produção de estacas para construção de casas.
• Queimadas • Para agricultura. Descontroladas
• Conflito homem animal • Os animais invadem as Machambas
14.2. Plano de acção
Problemas ambientais Solucoes Perido execucao Resp.
• Corte de arvores • Os membros da comunidade não cortam as árvores pela raíz para garantir a renovação da arvore. Existe tambem
lei comunitaria que • Queimadas proibe o corte de Descontroladas arvores nativas e de fruteiras. Existem leis • Conflito homem dentro do regulamento animal do CGRN, mas não são aplicadas.
• Quanto ao conflito homem animal, a comunidade está em
Community Natural Resources Assessment 32 LUPA conversação com a REM
10° Dia
15.1. Monitoria ambiental (SDAE,SDPI)
Problemas ambientais Causas Consequencias
• Corte de arvores • Produção de carvão, • Os membros da comunidade para a pratica de não cortam as árvores pela agricultura, produção de raíz para garantir a renovação estacas para construção da arvore. Existe tambem lei de casas. comunitaria que proibe o
corte de arvores nativas e de • Queimadas fruteiras. Existem leis dentro • Para agricultura. Descontroladas do regulamento do CGRN, mas
não são aplicadas.
• Conflito homem animal • Quanto ao conflito homem • Os animais invadem as animal, a comunidade está em Machambas conversação com a REM
15.2. Plano de acção
Problemas Solucoes Perido execucao Resp.
• Corte de arvores • Os membros da comunidade não cortam as árvores pela raíz para garantir a renovação da arvore. Existe tambem
lei comunitaria que • Queimadas proibe o corte de Descontroladas arvores nativas e de fruteiras. Existem leis • Conflito homem dentro do regulamento animal do CGRN, mas não são aplicadas.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 33 LUPA
• Quanto ao conflito homem animal, a comunidade está em conversação com a REM
11° Dia
Participantes: Investigadores/ONGs
16. Plano de acção
Problemas Actividades realizar Perido execucao Resp.
• Corte de arvores • Os membros da comunidade não cortam as árvores pela raíz para garantir a renovação da arvore. Existe tambem
lei comunitaria que • Queimadas proibe o corte de Descontroladas arvores nativas e de fruteiras. Existem leis • Conflito homem dentro do regulamento animal do CGRN, mas não são aplicadas.
• Quanto ao conflito homem animal, a comunidade está em conversação com a REM
•
12° Dia
Participantes: Reunião geral com a comunidade
Agenda: Retorno da informação a comunidade na presença do Chefe de localidade/Posto Administrativo
13° Dia
Community Natural Resources Assessment 34 LUPA Apresentação do Projecto ao Governo distrital
Community Natural Resources Assessment 35 LUPA
APPENDIX 2: FREE PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSULTATION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Free Prior and Informed Consultation of Indigenous Peoples
Document Prepared by LUPA and Ukalane For CEPF in July 2014
Background to Project
Since when have you been working in the area? What has been achieved so far? Who are living in the area? Which Indigenous People are present? How many? What is their status, means of livelihoods, and what is the relation between your project and these Indigenous People?
LUPA started working with the Curruca community around Mt Namuli for the first time in May 2014 (17 – 30 May). During that time we achieved confirmation of the willingness of the people to create a natural resources committee in order to control the use and management of the resources. (For example, in the rainforest at the mountain where trees have been cut for construction and firewood.) Our forthcoming fieldwork report/conservation plan details all the socio economic ways of living of the community and their priority to develop the Namuli region. The majority of the people living in the area are natives of the area--people born and living in the area. The people living in the specific community which we worked with number 1436 people.
Most of the people living in the area are unemployed and for their survival use the land to produce crops and sale locally and in Gurue town. The relation between our project and the people is in a way to train and capacitate on the use and management of natural resources in a sustainable manner, also introduce best practices particularly in agriculture of conservation.
Consultations
Which consultations have taken place to date? How, when, with whom? Do you have any documentation (letters, minutes of meetings etc) with regards to these consultations?
LUPA did consultation directly in the community through interviews with different people, including the leaders of the region, during the fieldwork. The first day, a meeting with the all
Community Natural Resources Assessment 36 LUPA community was organized in order to explain the objectives of the work. After the meeting 3 groups were divided: men, women and young people. In each group elaborated a map of natural resources, infrastructures and the main problems affecting the area. After this activity all the groups joined in a plenary to present the results and coming to harmonization and consensus.
At that point, 10 people were selected by the community, 5 men and 5 women to assist the survey during the field work (interviews and visits crops field)—our representative group.
Environmental education was carried out with the community and at school followed by an exercise on environmental monitoring action plan which was culminated with a construction of 2 latrines.
The representative group also visited the high camp with Ukalene productions and scientists and had a progress meeting and Q and A with the full project mid-way through the field time. Then, at the end of the field time the representative group, LUPA, and the full Lost Mountain team had a meeting with the whole community to close the fieldwork time with a presentation and question period.
Beside the social preparation done, varies institutions in Gurúe were contacted with the objective of finding what were the actual situation of development in Namúli region and future plans. The institutions contacted were: SDAE, SDPI, District Administration of Gurúe, Administrative Post of Gurúe and the Municipality. The main objective of these consultations with the institutions mentioned above was to present the project to them, and hearing from them the current and future situation with Namuli region in terms of development. These were done in May in Gurue with the heads of each institution.
In terms of letters or minutes of them meetings we did not have it. But notes were taken and written on the main report of the fieldwork (forthcoming).
Project
Are the Indigenous People informed about your planned project? Do they agree? How will you involve them during the implementation of your project? Will they be part of the decision- making process?
Yes, our first step (which we completed before starting to work with the people) was a meeting with the whole community with the objective to present the project and make sure that everyone understood and agreed with the intention. At the end of this meeting the project was welcomed and the representative group was chosen in a meeting with all the community. The above consultations also occurred which were opportunities for discussion about the project.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 37 LUPA In the future, we will be working with that representative group (or a different one if a new one is formed). We will work with them in the decision making process and carry out the workshops about environmental education, field work on the best practices in the conservation, field visits for exchanging experience and monitoring action using a plan. Our fieldwork visit to Namuli was for the purposes to gather information and interview the community to be able to create an informed plan and thus did not end with presenting the community a full plan for implementation. That would have been disingenuous to do during this phase. Instead, we have a plan to finish our report, consult with other organizations and advisors, and then apply for funding to implement the next phase—the first step of which will be to go back to the community to collaborate on implementation.
During the fieldwork, LUPA and the community identified problems and concerns about the use and management of natural resources. A table of priorities on those problems and concerns was written down with the consensus of all communities members. This data is in the forthcoming report.
We are now actively searching and applying for funding for the next steps. Once we find that funding, we will plan a trip to the field in order to make a plan of activities including the selection of the people who are going to be directly involved and make sure that this plan is also known by the institutions mentioned above.
In addition, in the future a representative from LUPA will be working going to field in order to assist the implementation of the project. A focal point will be selected from the community in order to carry on with the activities in case this person from LUPA has to travel or any other reason.
Community Natural Resources Assessment 38 LUPA