Browsing by Author "Meilby, Henrik"

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Floristic composition, structure, and species associations of Dry miombo woodland in Tanzania
(2014) Mwakalukwa, Ezekiel Edward; Meilby, Henrik; Treue, Thorsten
For the majority of forest reserves in Tanzania, biodiversity is poorly documented. This study was conducted to assess species richness (woody species), diversity, and forest structure and to examine relationships between species occurrence and topographic and edaphic factors in the Gangalamtumba Village Land Forest Reserve, a dry Miombo woodland area in Tanzania. A total of 35 nested circular plots with radii of 5, 15, and 20 m were used to collect data on woody species and soil samples across the 6,065 ha community-managed forest reserve. Stumps were measured 20 cm above ground. A total of 88 species belonging to 29 families were identified. Generally forest structure parameters and diversity indices indicated the forest to be in a good condition and have high species richness and diversity. Vegetation analysis revealed four communities of which two were dominated by the family Caesalpiniaceae, indicating large variation of site conditions and possible disturbances in the study area. The high level of diversity of woody species and the high basal area and volume indicate that the forest is in good condition, but the effect of anthropogenic activities is evident and stresses the need for proper management to maintain or enhance the present species diversity.
Mixed method approaches to evaluate conservation impact: evidence from decentralized forest management in Tanzania
(Foundation for Environmental Conservation, 2014-06-01) Lund, Jens Friis; Burgess, Neil D.; Chamshama, Shabani A. O.; Dons, Klaus; Isango, Jack A.; Kajembe, George C.; Meilby, Henrik; Moyo, Francis; Ngaga, Yonika M.; Ngowi, Stephen E.; Njana, Marco A.; Mwakalukwa, Ezekiel E.; Skeie, Kathrine; Theilade, Ida; Treue, Thorsten
Nearly 10% of the world’s total forest area is formally owned by communities and indigenous groups, yet knowledge of the effects of decentralized forest management approaches on conservation (and livelihood) impacts remains elusive. In this paper, the conservation impact of decentralized forest management on two forests in Tanzania was evaluated using a mixed method approach. Current forest condition, forest increment and forest use patterns were assessed through forest inventories, and changes in forest disturbance levels before and after the implementation of decentralized forest management were assessed on the basis of analyses of Landsat images. This biophysical evidence was then linked to changes in actual management practices, assessed through records, interviews and participatory observations, to provide ameasure of the conservation impact of the policy change. Both forests in the study were found to be in good condition, and extraction was lower than overall forest increment. Divergent changes in forest disturbance levels were in evidence following the implementation of decentralized forest management. The evidence from records, interviews and participatory observations indicated that decentralized management had led to increased control of forest use and the observed divergence in forest disturbance levels appeared to be linked to differences in theway that village-level forest managers prioritized conservation objectives and forest-based livelihood strategies. The study illustrates that a mixed methods approach comprises a valid and promising way to evaluate impacts of conservation policies, even in the absence of control sites. By carefully linking policy outcomes to policy outputs, such an approach not onlyidentifies whether such policies work as intended, but also potential mechanisms.
Mixed method approaches to evaluate conservation impact: evidence from decentralized forest management in Tanzania
(Foundation for Environmental Conservation, 2014) Lund, Jens. F.; Burgess, N.D.; Chamshama, Shabani A.O.; Dons, Klaus; Isango, Jack A.; Kajembe, George C.; Meilby, Henrik; Moyo, Francis; Ngaga, Yonika M.; Ngowi, Stephen E.; Njana, Marco A.; Mwakalukwa, Ezekiel E.; Skeie, Kathrine; Theilade, Ida; Treue, Thorsten
Nearly 10% of the world’s total forest area is formally owned by communities and indigenous groups, yet knowledge of the effects of decentralized forest management approaches on conservation (and livelihood) impacts remains elusive. In this paper, the conservation impact of decentralized forest management on two forests in Tanzania was evaluated using a mixed method approach. Current forest condition, forest increment and forest use patterns were assessed through forest inventories, and changes in forest disturbance levels before and after the implementation of decentralized forest management were assessed on the basis of analyses of Landsat images. This biophysical evidence was then linked to changes in actual management practices, assessed through records, interviews and participatory observations, to provide a measure of the conservation impact of the policy change. Both forests in the study were found to be in good condition, and extraction was lower than overall forest increment. Divergent changes in forest disturbance levels were in evidence following the implementation of decentralized forest management. The evidence from records, interviews and participatory observations indicated that decent- ralized management had led to increased control of forest use and the observed divergence in forest disturbance levels appeared to be linked to differences in the way that village-level forest managers prioritized conservation objectives and forest-based livelihood strategies. The study illustrates that a mixed methods approach comprises a valid and promising way to evaluate impacts of conservation policies, even in the absence of control sites. By carefully linking policy outcomes to policy outputs, such an approach not only identifies whether such policies work as intended, but also potential mechanisms.
Volume and aboveground biomass models for dry miombo woodland in Tanzania
(Hindawi, 2014) Mwakalukwa, Ezekiel Edward; Meilby, Henrik; Treue, Thorsten
Tools to accurately estimate tree volume and biomass are scarce for most forest types in East Africa, including Tanzania. Based on a sample of 142 trees and 57 shrubs from a 6,065 ha area of dry miombo woodland in Iringa rural district in Tanzania, regression models were developed for volume and biomass of three important species, Brachystegia spiciformis Benth. (n = 40), Combretum molle G. Don (n = 41), and Dalbergia arbutifolia Baker (n = 37) separately, and for broader samples of trees (28 species, n = 72), shrubs (16 species, n = 32), and trees and shrubs combined (44 species, n = 104). Applied independent variables were log-transformed diameter, height, and wood basic density, and in each case a range of different models were tested. The general tendency among the final models is that the fit improved when height and wood basic density were included. Also the precision and accuracy of the predictions tended to increase from general to species-specific models. Except for a few volume and biomass models developed for shrubs, all models had R 2 values of 96–99%. Thus, the models appear robust and should be applicable to forests with similar site conditions, species, and diameter ranges