Lugazo, Simon Charles
(2017)
Impact of Population Growth on Managing Forest Resources in West Usambara, Tanzania.
Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.
Abstract
This dissertation set out to assess the impact of rapid population growth on forest resource management in West Usambara, Tanzania. It aimed to determine the trend of population growth in Tanzania over the past thirty years, socio-economic factors affecting forest resource uses and evaluate intervention measures on forest resources management. The field survey that was conducted in four wards Mayo, Baga, Mgwashi and Bumbuli, and employed SPSS statistical analysis to assess the impact of rapid growth of population on forest resource management. A total of sample of 100 heads of the households were randomly drawn to respond to household questionnaires. Meanwhile, a total of eight key informants, Three Forest Officers from Bumbuli District Council, TFS and TFCG, three village natural resource committee and two village leaders. The study revealed that the population of the study area has almost doubled from 246,049 in 1978 to 492,441 in 2012 with population density of 120.4 persons per square Kilometer which is above the national population density of 51 persons per square Kilometer. Furthermore, 84% of the respondents collect fire wood from the forest while 96% revealed to depend in forest for different forest products like fire wood, vegetables, fruits and medicine. About 96% revealed to practice PFM which is underperformed due to different challenges mentioned. Moreover, the study concluded that population growth contributed highly to the forest destruction. Finally it recommended that awareness rising on family planning should be promoted, land use plan developed and PFM actively established with equal benefit sharing among the actors. Likewise the policy and regulations should be reviewed to favour forest adjacent community’s needs.
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