Browsing by Author "Mwaipopo, C. S."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Assessment of tree stocking and diversity for joint forest management (JFM) in Nkweshoo village forest management area, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
(A B Academic Publishers, 2012) Luoga, E.J.; Kajembe, G.C.; Shemweta, D.T.K.; Zahabu, E.; Mwaipopo, C. S.; Kweka, D. L.
A village forest near the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro managed under Joint Forest Management (JFM) by the government and the local people was studied to assess its growing stock and to suggest interventions and management to promote its sustainable use. Data were collected using the methods of the International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI) research programme. 19 tree species were identified and enumerated; the stocking was 714 trees/ha, basal area 27.5m2/ha and standing wood volume of 310 m3/ha. Almost half the standing volume was Macaranga kilimandscharica, a canopy tree species that was less desired for sawn timber and had not been over-harvested. Commercial timber production of other species that has been the dominant object of management is currently not sustainable. However, M. kilimandscharica is now the most preferred for firewood and light timber by the local user groups. Limited removal of over mature trees of this species by the local user groups for subsistence and community uses is recommended. The need for continued selective harvesting requires the determination of the sustainable allowable cut through recurrent resource assessment. Meanwhile the controlled harvesting will both demonstrate the value of the forest and motivate local people to protect it and, at the same time, increase its productivity and biodiversity.
The role of traditional institutions in the conservation of forest resources in East Usambara, Tanzania
(Taylor & Francis, 2009) Kajembe, G. C.; Luoga, E.J.; Kijazi, M.S.; Mwaipopo, C. S.
The study investigated the role of traditional institutions in the conservation of the East Usambara forests in Tanzania. It revealed that there had been institutional changes in management of forests, which had a negative impact on forest conservation. However, the presence of traditional institutions, which included among others traditional healers, traditional leaders, traditional taboos, sacred species and sites, had active roles in conserving the forest. More than 90% of the respondents had retained indigenous tree species on their farms and around households, with an average of six trees per household. This strategy is influenced by socio-economic factors whereby respondent age had a significant positive influence on the number of trees retained by a household. The study concludes by pointing out that traditional institutions have active roles in conserving the forests, and recommends that various strategies must be combined, including the use of traditional institutions, in Conservation of forests. Studying tradition institutions will give us knowledge on how they operate and how they can be combined with other strategies in government, NGOs and even the private sector in conservation of the forests. Socio- economic factors must be taken into account in the management of natural resources.