Forest cover changes, stocking and removals under different decentralized forest management regimes in Tanzania
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Forest Research Ins
Abstract
By the end
of the last century many countries including Tanzania moved from centralised towards decentralised forest
management but little empirical evidence exists on how such changes have influenced forest conditions.
The objective of this study was to provide insights on how decentralised approaches might influence forest
resource conditions. Forest cover analyses from satellite images (1993, 2000 and 2009) and systematic sample
plot inventories (2009) in two state forest reserves under joint forest management (JFM) and two village forest
reserves under community-based forest management (CBFM) in Babati District, Tanzania were carried out.
Based on the results, it was not possible to claim that the decentralised management had been successful in
improving forest conditions. Proportions of closed woodland decreased significantly over time (from over 80
to 50-60% under JFM and from around 70 to almost 0% under CBFM. In all forests, numbers of régénérants
were high, but proportions of larger trees were low and levels of removals (legal and illegal) were relatively
high. In general the situation under JFM was better than under CBFM. Results of this study can be used by
policymakers to assess the influence of decentralised forest management in Tanzania.
Description
Keywords
Joint forest management, community-based forest managemen, Miombo woodland