TFS HAILS STEP FOR FIELD EQUIPMENT DONATIONS IN UZUNGWA SCARP

Tanzania Southern Elephant Progamme (STEP) Director Dr. Trevor Jones (2R) verifying the field equipment for forest patrols before donating them to Uzungwa Scarp Nature Forest Reserve (USNFR) staff in Irnga yesterday. Flanking on his right hand side is Dar es Salaam based manager for natural forests, Florian Mkeya, Uzungwa Scarp Nature forest reserve Principal Forest Officer Mkiramweni Nzinyangwa and his left hand side is STEP Geographical Information System (GIS) Officer, Solomon Sembosi. (PHOTO: FRIDAY SIMBAYA)

The Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) has congratulated the Tanzania Southern Elephant Progamme (STEP) for donating various field equipments for patrols in the Uzungwa Scarp Nature forest reserve (USNFR) in the region.

Dar es Salaam based manager for natural forests, Florian Mkeya, who was also the guest of honour said yesterday, receiving the equipment on behalf of the Uzungwa Scarp Nature Forest Reserve (USNFR).

He said that such materials would be valid for patrols and conservation, considering that they were initially making a few patrols due to lack of special equipment for patrols.

Mkeya said that such support has come in the right time while there has been a challenge of hyper-endemic endangered amphibian and monkey species in the Uzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, Tanzania.

He said that such devices include cameras, GIS, binoculars, safety boots, gumboots, raincoats, first aid kit and so on were donated protection worth 10 million shillings in order to help in conservation of Uzungwa Scarp Nature forest reserve.

Uzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, Assistant Conservator Yusuph Tango said that such materials would be valid for patrols in conservation, considering that they were initially making a few patrols due to lack of special equipment for patrols.

STEP through the Uzungwa Scarp Protection Program (USPP)

yesterday have handed over equipment that will help the rangers and scouts of Uzungwa Scarp Nature Reserve to carry out effective patrols of the precious and spectacular forest in the Udzungwa Mountains.

Certificates were also handed out to the USNFR staff that recently completed our GPS & GIS training.

He said that STEP before providing equipment to them they first conducted four- day training in the ‘Introduction to Geographical Information System (GIS) and Geographical Positioning System (GPS)’ conducted from 9th to 12th October, 2017 in Iringa region.

On the other hand, STEP Director Dr. Trevor Jones said there is a need to protect Uzungwa Scarp Nature forest reserve (USNFR) because of its biodiversity presence like endemic monkeys and endangered amphibians.

He said Uzungwa Scarp nature Forest Reserve was the land of higher biodiversity and endemic flora and fauna and home for red Columbus monkeys.

He said the protection of Uzungwa Scarp Nature forest reserve was important for the existence Kilombero Valley because of the availability of water catchments hence protect the ecosystems, so that one day elephants will come back again to the forest because they were there in 1980s.

Dr. Jones said that these materials donated will help in intensifying the patrols in nature forest reserve adding that donations was in collaboration with various stakeholders such as the whitely Wildlife Conservation Trust in Devon (UK) and the Muse Museum of Natural Science (Trento, Italy).

He said the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust awards a number of grants to individuals undertaking nature conservation projects. Projects may involve practical habitat or species management, research, training, education, awareness raising or campaigning.

“STEP is an elephant conservation program based in southern Tanzania. It is an advocacy for elephant’s protection against the ivory trade at local, national and international levels. We work with a range of partners towards long-term security for elephants, ecosystems of Ruaha-Rungwa and Udzungwa-Selous,” said Dr. Jones.

He further said that Uzungwa Scarp Nature forest reserve (USNR) was second nature forest reserve to be supported with such special equipment for making patrols after Kilombero Nature Reserve.

Kilombero Nature Reserve is located in the southern part of Tanzania within Iringa and Morogoro regions in Kilolo and Kilombero districts respectively.

The Nature Reserve occupies the middle portion of the Udzungwa Mountains, lying between Udzungwa Mountains National Park and Uzungwa Scarp Nature Reserve.

It comprises a highly undulating chain of mountains that descend to the lowlands and meet the wetlands of Kilombero Valley.

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