The Uluguru slopes planning project: Promoting community involvement in biodiversity conservation

Abstract

The Uluguru Mountain forests of Eastern Tanzania are of high importance both for the conservation of biodiversity, and as a water catchment area for major urban centres. Only about 270 km2 of forest is thought to remain, mostly inside forest reserves. The most biologically valuable sub-montane forest has been badly affected by habitat destruction and only a small area in the north-east Ulugurus remains.
The main objective of the Uluguru Slopes Planning Project was to research the resource utilisation practices of villagers and their attitudes to forest conservation in the Ulugurus, through a socio-economic survey using participatory techniques. The findings demonstrated both that local communities are aware of the importance of forest conservation and that excellent examples of sustainable land management do exist. The results of the survey fed in to the planning of a follow-up project (funded by DANIDA), a key element of which will be the dissemination of this best practice more widely around the mountains.


Journal of East African Natural History Vol. 87 (1&2) 1998: pp. 339-347