Protected Areas (PAs) provide the principal method for conserving areas of significant biodiversity in Tanzania, as set out in the key strategy within the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP), and their creation is explicitly stated in National Forest Policy (1998), Wildlife Policy (2007) and legislation, such as the Tanzania Forest Act (2002) and Wildlife Conservation Act (2013). A network of Nature Forest Reserves (NFRs), has been fully established in Tanzania, and categorized with highest level of protection under the National Forest Act of Tanzania. The designated NFRs are state-owned and are managed by the Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) Agency. No extraction of woody resources, animal species or any sort of consumption is allowed in NFRs and activities are generally restricted to scientific research, education and nature-based tourism. By the end of 2019, a total of seventeen (17) NFRs, had been fully proclamation as NFRs. By 2019, 17 Nature Forest Reserves (NFRs), were proclaimed and assessed on their management effectiveness. These are:
|
WDPA ID |
NAME
& DESIGNATION STATUS |
|
555697525 |
Mt Hanang Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697527 |
Amani Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697531 |
Kilombero Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697522 |
Mwambesi Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697518 |
Nilo Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555637955 |
Minziro Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697533 |
Kalambo Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697524 |
Rondo Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697526 |
Chome Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697528 |
Mount Rungwe Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697520 |
Uluguru Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697530 |
Magamba Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697519 |
Mkingu Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697532 |
Magombera Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697529 |
Uzungwa Scarp Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697521 |
Itulu Hill Forest Nature Reserve |
|
555697523 |
Pindiro Forest Nature Reserve |
The Covid-19 pandemic brought significant challenges to the forest conservation and management, at a scale that was previously not imagined. Revenue streams for nature reserved that relied mainly on conservation trust funds, philanthropy donations, research fees and ecotourism were severely cut throughout 2020.
The current assessment has availed the real situation on the management effectiveness of these PA’s. The incoming results have demonstrated some significant on downward trend on effectiveness of management for some of the PA’s. Although, it was felt at the site level, the impact of Covid 19, was also translated on reduced fund allocations from the central budget system to the PA’s. The financial sustainability indicated huge net deficit as compared to expected budgets and revenue balances. A number of strategies have been proposed at each PA and high level recommendations that may also form part of policy actions for decision makers to taken into actions.
