The Impact of Population Growth on Managing Forest Resources in West Usamabara, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper assessed the impact of rapid population growth on forest resource management in West Usambara, Tanzania. It determined the trend of population growth in Tanzania over the past thirty years, socio-economic factors affecting forest resource uses and evaluated intervention measures on forest resources management. Surveyss were conducted in four wards Mayo, Baga, Mgwashi and Bumbuli and assessed the impact of rapid growth of population on forest resource management. 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 collected 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. The study concluded that population growth contributed highly to the forest destruction. Finally, it is recommended that awareness rising on family planning should be promoted, land use plan developed and Participatory Forest Management actively established with equal benefit sharing among the actors. Likewise, the policy and regulations should be reviewed to favour forest adjacent community’s needs.