FOREST IS LIFE

Forest is important in our lives. it provides medicine, firewood, timber, charcoal making, as well as it also absorb carbon dioxide which has adverse impact in our health, attracts rainfalls which helps our crops to grow well as result contribute in national economy.

On the other hand forest is home of many living things such as wild animals, birds, plants, natural vegetation and other non living thing, like rivers and lakes for the fact that their source water depend on the forest, for instance the source of kizinga river at Kisarawe depend it’s water from Pugu –Kazimzumbwi forest .All these benefits will disappear if there will be no sustainability of these resource.

Forest harvesting for timber uses which does not look on the coming generation is a awful situation to forest .illegal harvesting of wood for timber uses have been taking place in various places in Tanzania for instance RUVU KUSINI this forest has been cleared off for various issues like charcoal making, timber and sand mining without authorised permit, this forest is like it does not have the owner surprising it is national forest reserve.

Community living adjacent to these forests saying they don’t see any benefits which is generated from the forest apart from that mentioned above. Earlier they used to protect the forest by making patrol and culprits were caught up with forest products like timber, wood and charcoal unfortunately these products were taken to responsible government institution without consideration of responsible community which engaged in making this catching and handling of products successful.

The products which are handled to the government from the illegal harvesting from forest would sell them off with high price and money which is generated from the selling is not return to the responsible community as result these communities are no longer interested in protecting the forest and in turn these forest are over harvested anyhow.

These problems caused by not involving community in protecting the forest. It is important community living adjacent to these forest to be engaged in protecting their forest and the products which are generated from forest should distributed equally among communities living adjacent to the forest and the government as well as it ensures a sense of belong and sustainability of forest.
Written by;
Ruth John-YET2011