Bio-diversity

Context: Mt. Rungwe is part of the Eastern Arc Mountains. It is rich in biodiversity. Plant species such as wild banana trees and animal species such as red colobus among many others are endemic. Mt. Rungwe is also a water tower. Despite its biodiversity richness, Mt. Rungwe is faced with a number of human-initiated threats. They include forest fires, encroachment for agriculture, tree felling for woodfuel and building poles. The Mountain is also crippled through invasion by alien tree species, which suffocate indigenous species. Therefore, this project intends to address human-initiated threats with the view to making a contribution in restoring the Mountain ecology. About the NGO: EFFORT was established in 2007 and registered as an NGO in 2008. The NGO is based in Tukuyu but run operations in Mbeya, Dodoma, Shinyanga, Arusha, Tabora, Rukwa, Coast and Dar es Salaam regions. In addition to disseminating awareness on key environmental issues particularly how environment conservation is linked with community development, EFFORT works with local communities in restoring and rehabilitating degraded areas. EFFORT also promote wider adoption of improved cookstoves and biogas. Project Objective: To promote conservation of Mt. Rungwe through dissemination of conservation education, tree planting in degraded patches on mountain slopes and wider adoption of improved cookstoves for Mountain adjacent local communities. Implementation Strategies: Provide conservation education Purchase and distribute tree seedlings. Each village a total of 8,000 tree seedlings Rehabilitate degraded patches through tree replanting by using Harambee approach Promote use of improved cookstoves and provide demonstration cookstoves for showcasing.

Tanzania