Within the framework of ADAP projects, Dr. Urs Bloesch of Adansonia Consulting conducted in 2018 a vegetation inventory of the Mlele Beekeeping Zone (BKZ) and in 2020 a baseline study of the Rungwa River Forest Reserve and the Kululu Village Forest.
Mlele Beekeeping Zone – Community-based management of the Mlele beekeeping zone and livelihoods support, 2002-2020.
Objective: detect possible changes in the vegetation since the surveys of Mwangulango in 2004, and Kayombo, Mpinga, Natai in 2013, and assess new threats.
Actions:
- 13 Vegetation plots were surveyed during this assessment.
- Two vegetation transects of approximately 10km in length each were delineated
- 800 Vegetation points were sampled using the point-centered quarter method (PCQM).
These 2018 vegetation surveys enabled the completion of the previous inventory of trees and shrubs. The inventory now includes a total of 123 trees/shrubs with their scientific and Konongo names.
The study identified not more than twenty-eight anthropogenic or human-related disturbances in an inventoried area of approximately 160ha. About 80% of the disturbances occurred in the lowlands, close to the main road between Inyonga to Mpanda.
“The habitats of Miombo de la Mlele BKZ are well protected. No recent sign of poaching was detected and no logging happened in the last five years (…), particularly because of the community management of the beekeeping area, regular patrols, but also the support for beekeeping activities and the awareness campaign carried out by the project.” Dr. Urs Bloesch, 2018.
Rungwa River and Kululu Baseline Study – Community-based management project of the Rungwa corridor forests, 2018-2028.
Dr. Urs Bloesch conducted the forest study in the Rungwa River Forest Reserve and the Kululu Northern corridor last October, supported by Matana Levi – ADAP’s livelihoods and natural resources officer, Dicksoni Malembeka – ADAP’s VGS and ecological monitoring supervisor, Godfrey Sungura – VGS from Majojoro , Fredy Masanja – DFO Sikonge district, and Paulo Rugola Benedicto – TFS forester from the Mlele District.
The report will be available in summer 2021.
In this English-spoken video, Dr. Bloesch presents the transect method, specially adapted for large areas like the Rungwa River (2100km2) area, and Kululu (880km2).