Influence of forestland tenure regimes on forest condition and community livelihoods in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania

Abstract

Uluguru Mountains are dominated by different forestland tenure regimes, but is not known which one has more positive influence on forest condition and community livelihoods. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing their influence on forest condition and community livelihoods. Data were collected through forest inventory, participatory rural appraisal and questionnaire survey. Microsoft excel was used to analyse inventory data. Livelihoods data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The study showed that for the montane vegetation, state regime (Uluguru Nature Reserve) had higher stocking (volume 1233m3/ha; basal area 78m2/ha; density 777 stems/ha) compared to communal regime (Chief Kingalu Sacred Forest) with volume 798m3/ha; basal area 49m2/ha; density 1020 stems/ha. For the miombo vegetation, corporate/private (Tangeni Roman Catholic Church Forest Reserve) had higher stocking (volume 122m3/ha; basal area 27m2/ha and density 2573 stems/ha) compared to communal regime (Misumba Village Forest Reserve) with volume 23m3/ha; basal area 10.8m2/ha and density 4200 stems/ha. The most prominent tenure regime with regard to contribution to livelihoods capitals was the state. Financial capital as the surrogate livelihoods indicator was enabled or constrained by a number of socio-economic and institutional factors. Enabling socio-economic factors included market demand, hunger duration and household size whereas constraining socioeconomic factors included education level, distance from homestead to the forest, land size and sex of head of household. Enabling institutional factor was rule violation. Constraining institutional factors included prohibition from entering the forest and forestland tenure insecurity. The study concludes that, state regime has successfully improved forest condition and livelihoods compared to other tenure regimes. It recommends that forest inventory should be conducted at predetermined intervals together with insuring tenure security and initiation of alternative source of income to the local people.