Browsing by Author "Sumbi, P."

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Two decades of change in state, pressure and conservation responses in the coastal forest biodiversity hotspot of Tanzania
(Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK, 2016) Burgess, N. D.; Malugu, I.; Sumbi, P.; Kashindye, A.; Kijazi, A.; Tabor, K.; Mbilinyi, B. P.; Kashaigili, J. J.; Wright, T. M.; Gereau, R. E.; Coad, L.; Knights, K.; Carr, J.; Jeahrends, A.; Newh, R. L.
We present an analysis of changes of state, pres- sures and conservation responses over 20 years in the Tanzanian portion of the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa biodiversity hotspot. Baseline data collected during 1989-1995 are compared with data from a synthesis of recently published papers and reports and new field work carried out across the region during 2010-2014. We show that bio- diversity endemism values are largely unchanged, although two new species (amphibian and mammal) have been named and two extremely rare tree species have been relo- cated. However, forest habitat continues to be lost and de- graded, largely as a result of agricultural expansion, charcoal production to supply cities with cooking fuel, log- ging for timber and cutting of wood for firewood and build- ing poles. Habitat loss is linked to an increase in the number of species threatened over time. The government-managed forest reserve network has expanded slightly but has low ef- fectiveness. Three forest reserves have been upgraded to National Parks and Nature Reserves, which have stricter protection and more effective enforcement. There has also been rapid development of village-owned forest reserves, with more than 140 now existing; although usually small, they are an important addition to the areas being managed for sustainable resource use, and also provide tangible benefits to local people. Human-use pressures remain in- tense in many areas, and combined with emerging pressures from mining, gas and oil exploration, many endemic species remain threatened with extinction.