WHO SHOULD PROTECT OUR FORESTS?

As we are celebrating the international year of forest, there are still problems on the way our forests are being protected. The forest officials have been accused of not following the laws and harassing the villagers near forest reserves making them not only to see the benefit of the existence of the forest but also start hating and making efforts to destroy instead of protecting our forests.

'WONDER OF NATURE'

The researchers described the Serengeti as "a rare and iconic example of an ecosystem driven by a large mammal migration". That annual north-to-south trek involves about 1.5 million animals, including wildebeest and zebra.

SERENGETI ROAD SCRAPPED OVER WILDLIFE CONCERNS

Controversial plans to build a tarmac road across the Serengeti National Park have been scrapped after warnings that it could devastate wildlife.

The Tanzanian government planned a two-lane highway across the park to connect Lake Victoria with coastal ports. But studies showed it could seriously affect animals such as wildebeest and zebra, whose migration is regarded as among the wonders of the natural world.

UNEP CALLS FOR MASSIVE INVESTMENTS IN FORESTS

The United Nations (UN) marked the world Environmental Day (WED) on Sunday, 5th June 2001 by calling on the international community to invest an additional 40 billion U.S dollars annually in the forestry sector to halve deforestation rates by 2030.

NO CONTINENT FOR OLD MEN? WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR AFRICAN VALUES?

We urgently need to launch a movement to stop cruelty against old men. From April this year I have weeping seeing, those heartless protectors bounding old men in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya out of office, in total disregard of their contribution over the decades to creating strong governments, controlling bad elements in society, building strong economic etc. this cruelty against veteran rules must be addressed.

OVERVIEW OF ARUSHA CITY FROM MOUNT KIMANDOLU’S PEAK

Kimandolu (Enigma endolu) is a Maasai word meaning fire axe. In 1980’s the area at Kimandolu was covered by thick forest, one could hear reflection sound like someone chopping firewood from the forest, hence the origin of the name “Kimandolu”.

WE MUST REJECT OUR BACKWARD POLITICAL LEADER FOR

The escalating cost of living that is consigning many Tanzanians to object poverty is directly linked to the fact that for five decades since independence in 1961 we have failed to develop our country. Tanzania has grown poorer and weaker with each divisive policy and programmes’, our self-seeking leaders have designed to fight each other, instead of collaborating to overcome poverty, our main enemy.

EXRA MILES BEYOND DYNAMITE FISHING

Not many people know the seriousness and extent of the problem of dynamite fishing but it suffices to say that it extends along the coastal area and some extent in the inland water. Dynamite fishing is among illegal fishing which has a great impacts to our natural resources as well as environment, this is because once it is practised it brings effects not only to the fish but also to other resources like marinebioderversities,environment as well as humans.

STRUGGLE FOR WATER DISRUPTS GIRLS-CHILD’ ACADEMIC PROGRESS!

They pass the commodity upwards as they hum traditional repertoires, oblivious of the danger posed by wild animals searching for the same water. About 200 pupils at Park Nyigoti division, Serengeti district, risk dropping out of school due to the prevailing harsh drought conditions.

IMAGINE THE FUTURE OF AFRICAN WILDLIFE WITHOUT CONSERVATION

Just imagine you wake up one day and no single wildlife specie is anywhere to be seen. All national parks have become bare lands with no single wildlife. No tourist is therefore coming to this country. All tourists’ hotels, lodges, tour safari companies, have all stopped down. No such employments anymore. Everything in the tourism industry has gone. No wildlife. No national parks. The percentage of gross domestic product that used to come from tourism is no longer flowing. Tourism and the rich biodiversity we used to be proud of have become history and our country is no longer a tourist destination. How does click into your mind?

FARMING ACTIVITIES ALONG LAKE BURUNGE LEADS TO LOSS OF AQUATIC SPECIES!

Species in Lake Burunge are in danger because of the farming activities that are taking place along the shores of the lake. Lake Burunge is found at Babati district in Manyara region; This Lake has an area of about 40sqkm and its depth ranges from 7M to 8M. There has been farming activities taking place near the banks of the lake which makes some of the chemicals like pesticide and artificial fertilizers contaminate with lake’s water.

NO CONTINENT FOR OLD MEN? WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR AFRICAN VALUES?

We urgently need to launch a movement to stop cruelty against old men. From April this year I have weeping seeing, those heartless protectors bounding old men in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya out of office, in total disregard of their contribution over the decades to creating strong governments, controlling bad elements in society, building strong economic etc. this cruelty against veteran rules must be addressed.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IN MINING

The polluted world: Nyakalabe village!
Destruction of the environment is destruction of life. This was confirmed when the team from Corporate and Environment Unit under the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) visited Nyakalabe village in Geita near the Geita Gold Mine (GGM). On our arrival in the village we first met with a teacher who was eager to inform us on the environmental pollutions occurring in the area due to the present of the mining company with a condition that he remains unanimous.

A RIVER BETWEEN THE CITY TURNS INTO A DUMPING SITE

Communities living along river Ihanga that flows its water between the city are miserable. They have been dumping the garbage’s and other remains of the materials like rusted irons, remains from carpentry, plastic bags and rugs in the river.

PROTECTION OF FOREST, OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY

The forest is a wide area of land covered by trees and inhabited animals in their natural habitats. Usually the benefits derived from the forest do not go to only its inhabitants but also to a large extent all humans. Some of these benefits include the provision of food, formation of cloud resulting in rainfall, creation of employment and medicinal herbs.

INITIATIVE TO SAVE THE SERENGETI

The ongoing debate on the construction of the Serengeti highway may result our country into great risk of loosing one of its important world heritage sites. There is a great need for the Government of Tanzania to put extra efforts to rescue the Serengeti from losing her unique biodiversity. This can be achieved through taking alternative plans and initiate views from different stakeholders on taking alternative routes for the construction of the highway.

WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES?

Out of curiosity I recently ran into a publication by Sikika and Policy forum, titled unnecessary expenditure. This is a normal issue to a Tanzania government. Unnecessary expenditure focuses the way to spend money.

The idea is very simple; the government of poor people should also moderately spend money on what matters most.

A BIG THREAT TO AQUATIC SPECIES FOUND IN LAKE BURUNGE

The aquatic species in Lake Burunge found Manyara region are under the threat of being decreasing and disappearing. This is due to the human activities such as agricultural fishing and livestock keeping which are taking place on the shores.

WHY IS LAKE BURUNGE BEING DESTROYED?

The "brown Lake" as some people refer to Lake Burunge is facing imminent extinction! The reason it is referred to as the brown lake is because its main habitants are the catfish known to stir mud and hence the brown colour. This lake is located in Babati district and it’s among two other lakes in the district which are Lake Manyara and Babati. Young Environmentalists Trainees (YETs) during their visit noted that the continued destruction of the lake was due to inadequate community participation in the fishery sector leading to non adherence of laws.

CONSTRUCTION OF HOTELS IN THE BEACHES AND WHAT THE LAWS PROVIDES!

In April this month an investor burned to death a Tanzanian he suspected to be a thief at south beach hotel in Kigamboni. The incident raised many questions, among others being the legality of construction of hotels in the beaches and their effect to the fishery sector. This was a question raised by many and especially human rights and environmental activists.

LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION FOR SUSTANABLE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

There is several studies which have been conducted to identify various solution if natural resources are managed sustainable and equitably. One of the approaches which has been adopted in different areas and proved success is participatory natural resource management. This is quite different to the community living around Lake Burunge in Babati. Babati district council decided to close down the fishing activities in the lake for six months and other six months for fishing each year, without involving local community which their life depend much on the lake.

IS DODOMA GONNA BE A CLEAN CITY ONE DAY?

On the way to Singida through Bahi road, there is a huge damp. The area is being polluted with plastic bags and plastic bottles.Scarps and other dirty materials are damped everyday. Always a heavy smoke is being seen from this damp towards people’s residence areas if these rubbishes are burnt.

SHALL WE LET ALL THE FOREST LAND GOES WHILE WE STAND ASIDE AND LOOK?

Statistics have it that in many developing countries more than 80% of the total energy consumed by people derives from forestry. In Tanzania alone, annual charcoal consumption is about one million tones. Half of that charcoal goes to Dar es Salaam where 73% of households use it as their first choice.

IS IT A REAL ENVIRONMENTAL DAY?

The whole world celebrates environmental day each year. On 5th June, 2011 it will be celebrated at global level. Truly the situation of environment in Tanzania is terrible. Destructive activities increase day after a day. Deforestation, overgrazing, bush fire and forest fires, charcoal burning and environmental pollution has become dominant activities in most of Tanzania societies. Will environmental day change this situation?

YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALIST TRAINEES (YET’s) AS CHANGE AGENTS IN IYF 2011

2011 is the International Year of Forests (IYF) and celebrations were officially launched on 2nd February, 2011 during the 9th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests in New York. Forests issues are essential links to livelihoods, addressing climate change and other environmental challenges. But they are also cornerstones of our economies, whose real value has all too often been invisible in national accounts of profit and loss (UNEP 2011).