Monduli Forest Pilot Project
Our pilot project site is in Arkari Village, Monduli District, Arusha Region to the west of Monduli Catchment Forest Reserve.
The project is aimed at both planting indigenous trees to enrich the forest edge but also planting ‘useful’ indigenous trees in village areas to mitigate future problems. These problems are generally pole cutting, land clearance for agriculture and fuel wood collection and are all prerequisites for land degradation (Baker, 2000) and need to be considered when planning any agro forestry and habitat restoration project.
Another important consideration is tree species and location In northern Tanzania montane forest edge is some of the most important habitat, yet the least protected. This forest edge ecozone provides habitat for seasonal and altitudinal migration amongst many of our montane forest bird species.
During studies carried out on Monduli mountain in December 1999, over half of all bird species (45 Spp. Recorded, 25 Spp. within forest edge) recorded occurred with the forest edge scrub and emerging Croton macrostachyus and Acacia lahai woodland)(Baker, 2000).
According to Lovett J.C., and Pocs T. (1993) the following indigenous tree species are suitable for planting in Juniperus – Podocrapus montane forest edge.
Cordia africana
Croton meglacarpus
Ravolvia caffra
Albizia gummifera
Olea capensis
Trema orientalis
Trichylia emetica
Celtis Africana
Clausena anisata
Cordia abyssinica
Croton macrostachyus
Stand Density Diagrams recommend variable spacing of 500 seedlings per Ha (1 tree every 5 m) when enrichment planting which enhances species diversity.
References:
Baker M. (2000) A survey of the avifauna found within the isolated montane forests of Monduli District. UNDP GEF
Lovett J.C., and Pocs T. (1993) . Assessment of the Condition of the Catchment Forest Reserves. Catchment Forestry Report 93.3.
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