Sustainability of Nundu Catchment Forests under Conventional Forest Management in Njombe, Tanzania

Abstract

The catchment forests, which account for 398 million ha (equivalent to 9.8%) of the world forest, are threatened by anthropogenic influence. Despite the drawbacks of conventional forest management (CFM), which is top-down, it is adopted to manage the catchment forests in Tanzania. For a CFM to work successful, its strengths and weaknesses need to be explored. A study to investigate the performance of CFM on the long-term viability of catchment forests was conducted in Nundu, Njombe-Tanzania. With 97 respondents, a descriptive research design was chosen. Data were gathered through observations, surveys, interviews, and document reviews. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data, whereas content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The research revealed that the sustainability of the Nundu catchment forest is threatened by a lack of community involvement, predominance of legal enforcement, and existing land conflicts. The findings demonstrate the inefficiency of the conventional approach to the management of catchment forests. It is recommended that the Tanzanian government review its policies and guidelines for managing catchment forests to ensure community involvement, work to resolve disputes, address managerial issues related to catchment forests, and provide adequate and timely funding for catchment forest management.