Browsing by Author "Zahabu, E."

Now showing 1 - 20 of 28

Allometric Biomass and Volume Models for Cashewnut Trees
(E&D Vision Publishing Ltd, 2018-05-12) Zahabu, E.; Mlagalila, H.; Katani, J. Z.
Allometric Biomass and Volume Models for Coconut Trees
(E&D Vision Publishing Ltd, 2018-05-12) Zahabu, E.; Mugasha, W. A.; Malimbwi, R. E.; Katani, J. Z.
Allometric Biomass and Volume Models for Tectona Grandis Plantations
(E&D Vision Publishing Ltd, 2018-05-12) Zahabu, E.; Mugasha, W. M.; Katani, J. Z.; Malimbwi, R. E.; Mwangi, J. R.; Chamshama, S. A. O.
Allometric models for prediction of above- and belowground biomass of trees in the miombo woodlands of Tanzania
(Elservier, 2013-08-02) Mugasha, W. A.; Mugasha, W. A.; Eid, T.; Bollandsås, O. M.; Malimbwi, R. E.; Chamshama, S. A. O.; Zahabu, E.; Katani, J. Z.
Miombo woodland is a significant forest type occupying about 9% of the African land area and forms a dominant vegetation type in many southeastern African countries including Tanzania. Quantification of the amount of carbon stored in forests presently is an important component in the implementation of the emerging carbon credit market mechanisms. This calls for appropriate allometric models predicting biomass which currently are scarce. The aim of this study was to develop above- and belowground allometric general and site-specific models for trees in miombo woodland. The data were collected from four sites in Tanzania and covers a wide range of conditions and tree sizes (diameters at breast height from 1.1 to 110 cm). Above- and belowground biomass models were developed from 167 and 80 sample trees, respectively. The model fitting showed that large parts of the variation (up to 97%) in biomass were explained by diameter at breast height and tree height. Since including tree height only marginally increased the explanation of the biomass variation (from 95% to 96–97% for aboveground biomass), the general recommendation is to apply the models with diameter at breast height only as an independent variable. The results also showed that the general models can be applied over a wide range of conditions in Tanzania. The comparison with previously developed models revealed that these models can probably also be applied for miombo woodland elsewhere in southeastern Africa if not used beyond the tree size range of the model data.
Assessment of fire prevalence and reduction strategies in Miombo woodlands of Eastern Tanzania
(African Journals Online, 2014-12) Katani, J. Z.; Madoffe, S.S.; Amanzi, N. S.; Amanzi, N. S.; Rija, A. A.; Midtgaard, F.; Mbeyale, G. E.; Zahabu, E.; Tarimo, B. C.
An assessment of the proximate causes, effects and factors contributing to fire prevalence was conducted in three districts covered by miombo woodlands in Eastern Tanzania. Three miombo woodlands under different management regimes and governance structures (central government forest reserve, local government forest reserve and village land forest) each were investigated in Handeni, Kilosa and Kilwa districts. Data were collected from three villages selected in each District through household surveys, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), interviews of key informants and field observations. The analysis of data involved content analysis for documentary materials, descriptive statistical analysis for household surveys and Chi square was used to test whether there were differences in responses of local communities across forest management regimes. Results indicate that the major five human activities contributing to fire prevalence across the miombo woodlands include farm preparation (34.1%), hunting (28.5%), arson (21.5%), livestock grazing (9.3%) and charcoal making (0.7%). The causes were fairly the same across forest management regimes. August, September and October were the peak fire months and they were not influenced by different management regimes but by geographical locations within Eastern Tanzania. Results further show that fires in miombo woodlands usually start inside the woodland (67.2%), around residential area (22.9%) and from farms (9.9%). The origin of fire inside the woodland becomes more serious because it combines the hunting, arson, livestock grazing and charcoal making which are usually done inside the woodland. Chi-square test indicates significant difference on origin of fires across the forest management regimes (χ² = 13.341 and p = 0.031). The local communities acknowledged fires having both positive and negative effects and these effects were the same across the management regimes. Further, across the surveyed villages, strong social ties existed between fires and the daily life of local communities. Poverty, ignorance, weak law enforcement and climatic factors were identified as underlying factors contributing to fire prevalence. Fire incidences are predicted to increase given the increasing climate change. Potential strategies to reduce fires incidence identified were awareness creation, law enforcement, making fire breaks, introduction of alternative income generating activities, and improving agriculture practises. Furthermore, the use of prescribed burning to reduce effects of late fires and developing fire management plans to enhance miombo woodland management are among the strategies worth consideration by the local communities.
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.
Background on the Development of Biomass and Volume Models
(E&D Vision Publishing Ltd, 2018-05-12) Bollandsås, O. M.; Zahabu, E.; Katani, J. Z.
Biomass and volume models for different vegetation types of Tanzania
(E&D Vision Publishing Ltd, 2016) Malimbwi, R. E.; Mauya, E. W.; Zahabu, E.; Katani, J. Z.; Chamshama, S. A. O.; Eid, T.; Bollandsås, O. M.; Maliondo, S. M. S.; Mugasha, W. A.; Masota, A. M.; Njana, M.; Makero, J. S.; Mshana, J. S.; Luganga, H.; Mathias, A.; Msalika, P.; Mwangi, J.; Mlagalila, H. E.
Climate change and high rates of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have increased the attention paid to the need for high-quality monitoring systems to assess how much carbon (C) is present in terrestrial systems and how these change over time. The choice of a system to adopt relies heavily on the accuracy of the method for quantifying biomass and volume as important primary variables for computing C stock and changes over time. Methods based on ground forest inventory and remote sensing data have commonly been applied in the recent decade to estimate biomass and volume in the tropical forests. However, regardless of the method, accurate tree level biomass and volume models are needed to translate field or remotely sensed data into estimates of forest biomass and volume. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to develop biomass and volume models for the forests, woodlands, thickets, agroforestry systems and some selected tree species in Tanzania. Data from destructively sampled trees were used to develop volume and above- and below-ground biomass models. Different statistical criteria, including coefficient of determination (R2), relative root mean square error (RMSE %) and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), were used to assess the quality of the model fits. The models selected showed good prediction accuracy and, therefore, are recommended not only to support the ongoing initiatives on forest C Measurement, Reporting and Verificatio (MRV) processes but also for general forest management in Tanzania.
Charcoal potential of Mombo woodlands at kitungalo, Tanzania
(Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 2005-04-01) Malimbwi, R. E.; Zahabu, E.; Monela, G. C.; Misana, S.; Jambiya, G. C.; Mchome, B.
A study was carried out to determine the charcoal potential of the miombo woodlands of Kitulangalo area, near Morogoro, Tanzania. Systematic sampling design used in an inventory in 1996 was repeated in 1999 in order to determine the general current stand parameters and forest change. A total of 46 sample plots were laid out in the forest reserve. In adjacent public lands stratified random sampling was applied where a total of 30 plots were laid out. The layout was meant to study how species richness and wood stocking vary in public lands and forest reserve. Preferred tree species for charcoal making had standing wood volume of 24.5 m 3 ha- 1 and 56.5 m 3 ha-' in public lands and reserved forest respectively with corresponding basal area of 3.7 m 2 ha-' and 7.2 m2 ha- 1 . Stem numbers were 909 stems ha- 1 in public lands and 354 stems ha-'in the reserved forest. These values indicated more regeneration in public lands following disturbance than in the forest reserve. The weight of charcoal that can be extracted from the woodland at the roadside was 56 kg, equivalent to only one bag of charcoal per hectare. Similarly 54 bags may be extracted at 5 km distance while 125 bags may be extracted from beyond 10 km from the highway. With the established stand growth rate of 2.3 m 3 ha- 1 year-1' for the regrowth of miombo woodland at Kitulangalo, it will take about 8 to 15 years for the degraded woodlands to recover for charcoal production. Therefore, for sustainable charcoal production in this area, felling cycles of 8 to 15 years are recommended, provided the minimum tree size of > 10 cm dbh (diameter at breast height) for charcoal making is observed.
Contribution of charcoal extraction to deforestation: experience from CHAPOSA Research Project.
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2000) Malimbwi, R.E.; Zahabu, E.; Kajembe, G.C.; Luoga, E.J.
The Charcoal Potential in Southern Africa (CHAPOSA) project which commenced in November, 1999 aimed at increasing the understanding of the effects of utilization of charcoal in three countries of Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania in southern Africa. The main ecological activities carried out in order to understand the impact of charcoal production on the ecology include: determination of species composition and diversity through forest inventory; determination of mean annual increment for Kitulangalo area from two time series measurements of 1996 and 1999; charcoal tree species and size gradient as influenced by proximity to access roads in Kitulangalo and Mbwewe areas through forest inventory; kiln efficiencies, species and tree sizes preference for charcoal making for Kitulangalo, Mbwewe and Bana areas; woodland cover change between 1991 and 1998; and 1991 and 2000 in the northern and southern catchment parts respectively using satellite imageries. Socio-economic data were collected from Kitulangalo, Mbwewe and Bana. The selection criteria for these sites were: presence of actual charcoal production activities; accessibility relative to other areas in the earmarked catchment area for the study; representative-ness of the study sites in making broad conclusions of the study and availability of ecological and socio- economic data. This study demonstrated that charcoal production and cultivation have an impact on large-scale deforestation that has occurred in the area between 1991 and 1998. Tree species suitable for charcoal production have been depleted at the roadside and the average distance to charcoal production sites has increased. Tree cover is worse today than ten years ago due to charcoal production. These observations have wide policy implications, given the increased demand for charcoal from the growing urban population with no reliable and affordable alternative sources of energy. Only 74% of the closed and 54% of the open woodlands, remain relatively unchanged; most of these were in forest reserves. However, these areas were also undergoing modification due to encroachment for charcoal, timber and other forest products. It is true that in the absence of any further disturbance after tree cutting, the areas may progressively revert to woodland. However, in the face of increased population and the demand for agricultural land, such areas may not be given enough room to regenerate. This calls for appropriate management strategies to ensure regeneration so that the remaining woodlands continue to supply charcoal to Dar es Salaam city and other urban areas. This study has shown that substantial regeneration has occurred in areas previously cut, if they have not been converted to farmland. This increases the potential of the regrowth woodland to supply charcoal over a much longer time period.
Decision-support tool for management of miombo woodlands: a matrix model approach
(SOUTHERN FORESTS, 2017-03-06) Mugasha, W. A.; Bollandsås, O. M.; Gobakken, T.; Zahabu, E.; Katani, J. Z.; Eid, T.
Rational forest management planning requires information on the present forest state and on future development. However, forest management planning in Tanzania has often been done without any information on forest development because appropriate tools are lacking. This study presents a matrix model that combines distance-independent growth and mortality models, area-based recruitment models, and allometric models for prediction of volume and biomass. In this way forest development can be simulated according to different treatment options. A shortterm (seven years) test of the matrix model using independent data from permanent sample plots showed that the overall difference between predicted and observed basal area was small (6.5%). Long-term simulations (1 000 years) with the model showed that it was able to attain, irrespective of initial conditions, similar steady-state conditions (i.e. basal area, volume and biomass of 13 m2 ha−1, 130 m3 ha−1 and 90 t ha−1, respectively), which also correspond well to biological expectations in the ‘real’ miombo woodlands of the country. The flexibility of the model as a decision-support tool was demonstrated by simulating three harvesting options aiming at different combinations of charcoal and timber production. The model complexity is well adapted to the data quality and abundance, and it is dependent on proxies of some main drivers of the dynamic processes. The development of the matrix model is a step forward facilitating better decisions in the management of miombo woodlands. However, data ranges used for calibrating the submodels are limited in time and space, and future efforts should focus on tests and recalibrations based on extended data ranges. Presently, therefore, applications of the matrix model should be limited to the data ranges of the modelling data from the Iringa and Manyara regions.
Developing Fire Reduction Strategy for Miombo Woodlands as a Potential tool for Carbon Storage and Sequestration
(E&D Vision Publishing Ltd, 2016) Katani, J. Z.; Modoffe, S.S.; Midtgaard, F.; Rija, A. A.; Amanzi, N. S.; Kilawe, C.J.; Mbeyale, G. E.; Zahabu, E.; Tarimo, B. C.; Silayo, D.S. A.
World-wide, wildfires cause problems and when uncontrolled or misused they wreak havoc on society and the environment. In Tanzania, fire occurs in most parts of the Miombo woodlands, and some of them cause significant eco-logical and socio-economic impacts. Several efforts have been made in Tanzania to reduce the occurrence of fire in Miombo but their success has been constrained by underfunding and/or lack of proper strategies. Moreover, in many districts of Tanzania there are no apparent solutions to the fire problem, despite years of regulation and attempts to control fire, and in many places fire incidences are actually increasing. Therefore, this study intended to develop a fire management strategy for the Miombo woodland as a tool for climate change mitigation. This study also strived to identify causes, effects and factors contributing to fire prevalence. Spatial and temporal distribution of fires and burnt extents of wooded areas were determined from the Moderate Resolution Imanging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) active fires product and Landsat satellite images for the past 40 years (1972–2012). Vegetation and household surveys were used to capture empirical data on carbon stock and how different burning regimes and forest management scenarios influence carbon sequestration potentials. Furthermore, the role of formal and informal framework for the prevention, control and management of wild fires in the Miombo was determined. Th main output of this study is a proposed fire reduction strategy in Miombo. Th study findings show that, to a wider extent, 1.8 and 2.9 years mean fire return interval persist in western and eastern dry Miombo areas, respectively, burning up to 50.6% of the woodland. These wildfires were largely human-driven and commonly occur in all the villages surveyed whereas the existing local governance structures and institutions suffered from poor coordination, severe underfunding and poor support from the villagers. Torching of forests was largely perpetuated by weak enforcement of laws and regulations, poverty and existing local beliefs. On average, there is an indication that the central government forests have higher stock of carbon than the local government forests and village government forest reserves. However, there was no significant difference in carbon stock between forests experiencing no burning, early burning and late burning. The proposed fire management strategy for Miombo woodlands focused on the promotion of sustainable alternative land preparation methods, improved household income sources and awareness, sustainable land use management and promotion of sustainable charcoal production. The strategy indicates a number of activities to be implemented and actors responsible for each activity.
Forest and forest change mapping with C- and L-Band Sar in Liwale, Tanzania
(The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences,, 2015) Haarpaintner, J.; Davids, C.; Hindberg, H.; Zahabu, E.; Malimbwi, R. E.
As part of a Tanzanian-Norwegian cooperation project on Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+, 2007-2011 Cand L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter data from Envisat ASAR and ALOS Palsar, respectively, have been processed, analysed and used for forest and forest change mapping over a study side in Liwale District in Lindi Region, Tanzania. Land cover observations from forest inventory plots of the National Forestry Resources Monitoring and Assessment (NAFORMA) project have been used for training Gaussian Mixture Models and k-means classifier that have been combined in order to map the study region into forest, woodland and non-forest areas. Maximum forest and woodland extension masks have been extracted by classifying maximum backscatter mosaics in HH and HV polarizations from the 2007-2011 ALOS Palsar coverage and could be used to map efficiently inter-annual forest change by filtering out changes in non-forest areas. Envisat ASAR APS (alternate polarization mode) have also been analysed with the aim to improve the forest/woodland/non-forest classification based on ALOS Palsar. Clearly, the combination of C-band SAR and L-band SAR provides useful information in order to smooth the classification and especially increase the woodland class, but an overall improvement for the wall-to-wall land type classification has yet to be confirmed. The quality assessment and validation of the results is done with very high resolution optical data from WorldView, Ikonos and RapidEye, and NAFORMA field observations.
Forest Resources Assessment
(E&D Vision Publishing Limited, 2019-05-01) Mugasha, W. A.; Kashindye, A.; Katani, J. Z.; Giliba, R. A.; Kingwere, S. R. J.; Zahabu, E.
Forest resource assessment is fundamental in decision making to provide essential data and information for forest managers and decision makers to ensure sustainable forest management. This chapter has described objectives and importance of forest resource assessment, forest inventory planning and methods/designs and important descriptive statistics which should be applied when describing forest parameters of interest. Other essential aspects which also guide and compliment forest resource assessment, i.e. survey and mapping; and remote sensing are described. Application of remote sensing and GIS in forestry has also been covered.
Impact of charcoal extraction to the forest resources of Tanzania: The case of Kitulangalo area, Tanzania
(CHAPOSA, 2014) Malimbwi, R. E.; Misana, S.; Jambiya, G.; Zahabu, E.
Research is being undertaken to expand the knowledge about the biomass potential for supplying charcoal to urban centres and find workable policy tools that will enable sustainable production and use of charcoal in the medium term perspective. The project, CHAPOSA (Charcoal Potential in Southern Africa) focuses on the dynamics of charcoal production in supply areas (mainly woodlands) and its consumption in three major cities: Lusaka, Zambia, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Maputo, Mozambique. The three year research project is funded by European Union (EU) and co-ordinated by Stockhom Environmental Institute (SEI). In each of the three partner countries, socio-economic and ecological aspects of charcoal are being studied in the supply areas and charcoal consumption and market forces studies are being undertaken in the cities. Preliminary results on the supply side are presented for Tanzania in this paper. At Kitulangalo one of the charcoal supplying areas in Tanzania, an average charcoal making household produce 43 bags of charcoal per month, charcoal is sold at kiln site at Tshs. 1,000/= per bag. The household realizes an income of Tshs. 43,000/= per month. This income is above the minimum salary rates paid currently to government workers and hence attracts more people to join the business. There are 7 trees of about 10 cm dhb for every 22 bags of about 50 kg of charcoal produced from this area. The mean charcoal kiln efficiency of 23.5% was found. Preferred tree species for charcoal includes, Julbernadia globiflora, Brachystegia boehmii, Tamarindus indica, Acacia nigresces, Acacia gerrardii, Acacia nilotica, Combretum adenogonium, Combretum molle, Combretum zeyheri, Boscia salicifolia, Diplorhynchus condylocarpon, Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia, Terminanalia mollis, Pteleopsis myrtifolia,Combretum collinum, Diospyros kirkii, Xeroderris stuhrmanii, Mimusops kummel, Albizia harvey, Acacia goetzei subsp. Goetzei, Lonchocarpus capassa and Mhungilo. Standing wood volume and basal area of these species are lower in public lands compared to forest reserves while stem numbers shows a reversed trend suggesting regeneration of these species in public lands. The public lands at roadside are dominated by large trees of Acacia polyacantha, a pioneer tree species which is not preferred for charcoal making due to its hooked thorns and lighter charcoal which breaks easily during transportation. An average stand growth rate of 2.3 m3ha-1year-1 has been recorded for the re-growth miombo woodland at Kitulangalo.
Impact of decentralised forest management on forest resource conditions in Tanzania
(Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 2012) Mbwambo, L.; Eid, T.; Malimbwi, R. E.; Zahabu, E.; Kajembe, G. C.; Luoga, E.
Impacts of decentralised forest management on forest resource changes were assessed. Six contrasting forest reserves regarding management regimes, that is, Joint Forest Management (JFM; in National Forest Reserves, owned by the State), Community Based Forest Management (CBFM; in village lands or general lands), and ordinary centralized state management, were selected. The forest resources were assessed by means of systematic sample plot inventories. Number of stems, basal area, volume, biomass, and carbon ha21 were compared with results from previous studies in the same reserves. Harvesting activities were also assessed as part of the sample plot inventories. In general, the results were somewhat ambiguous regarding the impacts of different management regimes. There was, however, some empirical evidence indicating that JFM and CBFM performed better than the ordinary state management, although uncontrolled exploitation of the forest has continued under decentralised forest management in the studied forests. The two regimes are promising forest decentralisation models for Tanzania, but more research is needed to understand the functions of different governance structures and how they may facilitate sustainability in both forest use and livelihoods.
Indigenous technical knowledge as reflected in the management of natural resources in Tanzania
(FAO, 1999-06) Kajembe, G. C.; Zahabu, E.; Mwenduwa, M.
In the broad sense, natural resource management can be defined as taking a firm decision about future of any area of resources, applying it and monitoring the application (Rietbergen 1993). It is widely accepted that natural resources should be managed to meet the social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations. Much of these benefits should be geared towards the local communities. Local communities surrounding natural resources should be the first hand beneficiaries to know the resource better than outsiders, and should have, therefore a great role to play in resources management. Within natural resource management systems, Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) embraces people's knowledge of tools and techniques for the assessment, acquisition, transformation, and utilisation of resources which are specific to the particular location. ITK can encompass
Influence of forest land tenure regimes on forest condition in Uluguru mountains, Tanzania
(African Journals Online (AJOL), 2012-06) Kitula, M. H.; Kajembe, G. C.; Zahabu, E.; Luoga, E. J.; Katani, J. Z.; Ngowi, S. E.; Eid, T.
The paper scrutinizes the current wave of forest land tenure reforms since the inception of the new forest policy in 1998. It explores which type of forestland tenure regime had more positive influence on forest condition in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania. The assessment was done with reference to vegetation types of montane and miombo woodlands. The study showed that for the montane vegetation, state regime (Uluguru Nature Reserve) had higher stocking (volume 1,233m3/ha; basal area 78m2/ha; density 777 stems/ha) and tree species diversity (H’ 3.48) compared to communal regime (Chief Kingalu Sacred Forest) which had low stocking (volume 798m3/ha; basal area 49m2/ha; density 1,020 stems/ha) and tree species diversity (H’ 3.21). For the miombo vegetation, corporate/private regime (Tangeni Roman Catholic Church Forest Reserve) had higher stocking (volume 122m3/ha; basal area 27m2/ha and density 2,573 stems/ha) and tree species diversity (H’ 2.60) compared to communal regime (Misumba Village Land Forest Reserve) which had low stocking (volume 23m3/ha; basal area 10.8m2/ha and density 4,200 stems/ha) and tree species diversity (H’ 3.53). The study concludes that state regime represented by Uluguru Nature Reserve showed improved forest condition compared to communal tenure regime (Chief Kingalu Sacred Forest) for the montane vegetation type while private regime (Tangeni Roman Catholic Church Forest Reserve) was more effective in conservation than communal regime (Misumba Village Land Forest Reserve). The study recommends that sustainable management of forests could not be addressed by tenure reforms in the forestry sector alone, but requires 'cross-sectoral', 'inter-disciplinary' and 'participatory' approach along with secure tenure. Moreover, it is essential that an in-depth forest inventory is conducted at predetermined intervals to quantify stocking of tree, shrub species and forest disturbances to understand the level of resource extraction for each tenure regime. Key words: Tenure regimes, reforms, forest condition, Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania.
A national forestry resources monitoring and assessment of Tanzania (NAFORMA)
(FAO, 2010) Vesa, L.; Malimbwi, R. E.; Tomppo, E.; Zahabu, E.; Maliondo, S.; Chamuya, N.; Maliondo, S.; Nsokko, E.; Otieno, J.; Dalsgaard, S.
In Tanzania, the state and trends of the forestry resources are largely unknown. The existing information is fragmented and outdated. Reliable information on Tanzanian forest resources is mainly constrained by the lack of institutional capacity. Under the National Forest Programme of Tanzania, the National Forestry Resources Monitoring and Assessment (NAFORMA) was identified as a priority activity for the Forest and Beekeeping Division (FBD). The results of NAFORMA are needed to support the national policy processes for the enhancement of sustainable forest management (SFM) while at the same time addressing issues of Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and Green House Gas (GHG) as international reporting obligations. Yet, the demand of the stakeholders in Tanzania for data and information on the state of the forestry resources is continuously expanding. This project is planned to develop complete and sound baseline information on the forest and tree resources, assist the FBD to set up a specialized structure and put in place a long term monitoring system of the forestry ecosystems. The inventory will eventually yield information about vegetation cover, forest resources, forest utilization, and importance of forests and forest product for communities in Tanzania. When the inventory exercise is based on statistically sound sampling design, careful field work, and advanced data analysis, the final inventory report will provide estimates for biomass and carbon in Tanzanian forest lands. This information will serve emerging demands when building up forest monitoring system and international carbon trade schemes. Proper planning is crucial for the project to meet its goals. This includes preparation of field manual to enable field crews to collect relevant data for the project. The purpose of this field manual is to provide the FBD inventory staff with structured information on the inventory techniques that will lead to the achievement of the intended output.
Participatory forest carbon assessment and REDD+: Learning from Tanzania
(Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2011) Mukama, K.; Mustalahti, I.; Zahabu, E.
Research initiatives and practical experiences have demonstrated that forest-related data collected by local communities can play an essential role in the development of national REDD+ programs and its' measurement, reporting, verification (MRV) systems. In Tanzania, the national REDD+ Strategy aims to reward local communities participating in forest management under Participatory Forest Management (PFM). Accessing carbon finances requires among other things, accurate measurements of carbon stock changes through conventional forest inventories, something which is rarely done in PFM forests due to its high cost and limited resources. The main objective of this paper is to discuss experiences of Participatory Forest Carbon Assessment (PFCA) in Tanzania. The study revealed that villagers who participated in PFCA were able to perform most steps for carbon assessment in the field. A key challenge in future is how to finance PFCA and ensure the technical capacity at local level.