Tanzania's high value timber species in coastal forests to be wiped out in 30 years: research

A research by Tanzanian and British scientists revealed on Tuesday that high value timber species in the east African nation's coastal forests will be exhausted in 30 years.

Tanzanian officials and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) met in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday to discuss the findings entitled: Saving Forests, Changing Lives, a project aimed at surveying the extent of charcoal and timber driven degradation in coastal forests.

The project, led by WWF Tanzania, the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, and University of East Anglia in the UK, compared data from 2005 to assess the spread of charcoal and timber producing zones in Coast and Lindi Regions.

The study also found carbon storage has dropped by 40 per cent in Coast Region, adding that forest loss and degradation in the tropics was one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions.

Speaking at the meeting, Antje Ahrends, Head of Genetics and Conservation at the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, said: "Our overriding aim is to quantify and predict the extent and spread of logging and to empower policy makers and local communities with knowledge resources to safeguard forests and improve livelihoods."

Isaac Malugu, WWF Tanzania Forest Program Coordinator, said: "Coastal forests are among one of the priority eco-regions in Tanzania and globally," adding that WWF Tanzania has prioritized coastal forests as many of the diverse species were subjected to serious degradation and deforestation.

The current deforestation rate of about 372,000 hectares annually is high, said Malugu.

The project conducted livelihoods surveys to learn more about the role of charcoal production for income generation, and launched an animated film in more than 75 coastal forest schools to raise awareness of the value of forests and the importance of community engagement amongst the next generation.

William Kindeketa, Biodiversity Researcher at COSTECH, called for more action, saying: "We need to adopt new approaches to halt the high deforestation rates in Tanzania, otherwise we may lose many of our forests."

Tanzania's coastal forests are a hotspot for global biodiversity and home to over 700 endemic and near-endemic plant and animal species.

Covering one third of the country, the forests also provide vital livelihoods for many rural communities.

Despite Tanzania's forestry regulations, threats from charcoal production and timber logging result in the loss of an estimated 300,000 hectares of the country's forest every year. Endit