Impact of artisanal and small-scale gold mining on vegetation cover in bukombe-mbogwe forest reserve and surrounding villages, Geita region, Tanzania.
Loading...
Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine university of agriculture
Abstract
Vegetation cover in Bukombe-Mbogwe Forest Reserve (BMFR) has been impacted
negatively for decades due to Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM). The study
aimed at examining the impact of artisanal and small-scale gold mining activities on
vegetation cover in Bukombe-Mbogwe Forest Reserve and surrounding villages. The
study employed cross-section research design with 138 respondents using remote sensing,
questionnaire survey, key informant interviews, field observations and focus group
discussions. Landsat images of three window periods of 1984, 2002 and 2020 were
analysed qualitatively using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and
quantitatively using supervised classification of Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithm
techniques. Descriptive and content analysis were conducted for quantitative and
qualitative data respectively employing Microsoft excel for results presentation. NDVI
median value decreased from 57% with dense vegetation to 34% with shrubs and
grasslands indicating decrease in vegetation quality. There was a quantitative decrease in
dense vegetation by 20.78% and bare-land by 23.17%; and quantitative increase in sparse
vegetation by 37.46% and built-up land by 6.49% from 1984 to 2020. Relative abundance
of tree species most used in ASGM decreased led by Pterocarpus chrysothrix (Mkurungu)
with relative abundance of 0.3% of which it is in a threat to extinction. Environmental
trainings to artisans were inadequately provided by 22% indicating low level of awareness
on vegetation cover conservation. Therefore ASGM has negatively impacted vegetation
cover in the study area. There is need for increasing protection against human intrusion in
BMFR by employing joint forest management and establish an environmental
management plan for BMFR.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Artisanal, Gold mining, Vegetation, Bukombe-mbogwe, Forest reserve, Villages, Geita region, Tanzania