ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE IN KAZIMZUMBWI FOREST RESERVE

Kazimzumbwi forest reserves is located in Pwani region at Kisarawe district, the forest has 4887 ha (35.5 km2) area. It was established in 1936 and declared to be the forest reserve, since then the forest provides number of ecological services such as high biodiversity (flora and fauna) and water for the communities living adjacent the forest.

In addition to that the service provided by the forest depends most on co-management activities undertaken by the communities, other stakeholders (NGOs and CBOs) and the government. These activities includes: forest patrol and demarcation, tree enrichment, fire breaks and fire fighting. These initiatives executed inoder to secure the forest for the benefit of the existing community without deprive next generation.

Contrary to the initiative taken, some of the community members without fear the existing bylaws and laws involves in illegal activities in the forest deliberately. Charcoal production is the biggest threaten activities that dominated the forest followed by sand extraction activities and agriculture activities (maize, cassava and raise). To overcome the situation all stakeholders should take a positive step to sort out the root cause of the problem.

Speaking to the situation the Village Natural Resource committee member Mr Lawrance Said” Government in coraboration with different NGOs (eg Tanzania Forest Conservation Group and Community Forest conservation network of Tanzania) used to sensitize the communities through provision of training on advocacy, good governance and participatory forest management which aims to enable people to understand the importance of conserving the forest, but some people have became rigid to change”. He went further saying the big problem is derived from weak bylaw existing (outdated laws), you may find out that when someone was caught involved in illegal timber cutting or making charcoal the fine fixed to him/her is very minute compared with the crime committed, so this discourage other stakeholders who are committed to the conservation he added.

As per conservation concept it is important for the government to stick to the reality since people living around this forest has no area to fetch firewood, withes, poles and non wood forest produce which is the dairy need for the communities. Restricting them to obtain that needs from the forest without giving them alternative is not the solution, so to secure this forest participatory forest resource assessment should be done since will allow management plan to be adopted for zonation of the forest area that is catchment, high biodiversity and area for production.
Written by;
John Reuben-YET2011