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Potentials of the Forest Resources in Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change in the North Nguu Mountain Block

Received: 1 September 2016     Accepted: 12 November 2016     Published: 5 January 2017
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Abstract

The study intended to establish potentials of forests in adaptation to climate change with references to North Nguu Mountain block communities. The major questions to be answered were as follows: 1. How do forests in the north Nguu Mountain blocks buffer local people to the impacts of climate change? 2. What resources are taped from the forests as a way to adapt to climate variability and change in the study area?To collect data, a questionnaire was administered to a sample population. Also focus groups discussions were conducted in the study villages and finally in-depth interviews with key informants were also usedto collect data. Content analysis was used to analyze collected data. Findings show that people living adjacent to the North Nguu Forests uses forests goods and services as buffers to the impacts of climate change. Resources that are taped from the forests are those that enable communities diversify and broaden their livelihood horizons; these include arable land, timber as well as the non-timber forest productssuch as wild fruits, berries, nuts and vegetables, honey, medicinal plants, grazing fields, game and game products, mining as well as water sources. Local people also benefit from conducive weather conditions i.e. sufficient and timely rainfall events accompanied with moderate temperatures. The study concludes that forests play a significant role in adaptation to climate change in the study area. However, the study also concludes that although most people use forests products and services to improve income and hence the general well being, they poorly conceive the relationship between forests and climate change. This has negative implications on sustainable forest resources use where over utilization and the general forests degradation are likely. The study therefore suggests that policy intervention is urgently required to promote sustainable resources utilization which in turnwill lead to increase of resources taped from the forests for adaptation to climate variability and change.

Published in International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 4, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160406.14
Page(s) 178-186
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Adaptation to Climate Change, Forest Resources, North Nguu Mountain Block, Hunting and Gathering

References
[1] Agrawala, S, Moehner, A, Hemp, A, van Aalst, M, Hitz, S, Smith, J, Meena, H, Mwakifwamba, S, Hyera, T, and Mwaipopo, O. (2003): Development and Climate Change in Tanzania: COM/ENV/EPOC/DCD/DAC/(2003)5/Final, OECD, Paris.
[2] Alley R, Berntsent, Bindiff N. L, Chen Z, Chidthaisong A, Friedlingstein p, Gregory J, Hegerl G, Heimann M, Hewitson B, Hoskins B, Joos F, Jouzel J, Kattsov V, Lohmann U, Manning M, Matsuno T, Molina M, Nicholls N, Overpeck J, Quin D, Raga G, Ramaswamy V, Ren J, Rusticucci M, Solomon S, Somerville R, Stocker T. F, Stott P, Stouffer R. J, Whetton P, Wood R. A, and Wratt D (2007). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group 1 to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Pannel on Climate Change, Paris.
[3] AWF: Conserving Wildlife, Protecting Land, Empowering People: Washington, D.C. Centre (USA) - Annual Report 2003.
[4] FAO (2007) Adaptation to Climate Change in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Perspectives, Framework and Priorities: Rome: FAO.
[5] Gordana C. (2009), UNDP GEF project develops Watershed Management Plan for the PrespaReaginal Project – Republic of Macedonia visited at www.prespapark.orgin 2012.
[6] Gouri, Sushil Mudgal, Elaine Morrison and James Mayers, Policy influences on forest-based livelihoods in Himachal Pradesh, India. SIDT and IIED, 2004. http://www.iied.org/NR/forestry/projects/india.html Accessed September, 2012.
[7] Handeni Integrated Agroforestry Project - HIAP (2000): Annual Progress Report presented for discussions by members of the district council.
[8] Harvey, C. A. and Haber, W. A. (1999). Remnant trees and the conservation of biodiversity in Costa Rican pastures. Agroforestry Systems 44:37-68.
[9] Kingdon, J. & K. M. Howell (1993): Mammals of the forests of eastern Africa. in Lovett, J. C. & S. K. Wasser (eds): Biogeographyand Ecology of the Rain Forests of Eastern Africa. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
[10] Larson et al, (2007) “Role of Forests in Carbon Cycles, Sequestration and Storage: Climate Change Mitigation, Forest Management and Effects on Biological Diversity” Newsletter No. 5: Canada.
[11] Sanderson Michael, SantiniMonia, Valentini Riccardo and Pope Edward (2012) Relationships between forests and weather EC Directorate General of the Environment 13th January.
[12] White S. (2002): IUCN Mount Elgon Conservation and Development Project. Nairobi, Kenya & IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
[13] UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme (2001): Global Environment Outlook 3. Accessed at www.unep.org/geo in June 2013.
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  • APA Style

    Magreth S. Bushesha, Peter Mjata. (2017). Potentials of the Forest Resources in Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change in the North Nguu Mountain Block. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 4(6), 178-186. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160406.14

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    ACS Style

    Magreth S. Bushesha; Peter Mjata. Potentials of the Forest Resources in Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change in the North Nguu Mountain Block. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2017, 4(6), 178-186. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160406.14

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    AMA Style

    Magreth S. Bushesha, Peter Mjata. Potentials of the Forest Resources in Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change in the North Nguu Mountain Block. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2017;4(6):178-186. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20160406.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20160406.14,
      author = {Magreth S. Bushesha and Peter Mjata},
      title = {Potentials of the Forest Resources in Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change in the North Nguu Mountain Block},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
      volume = {4},
      number = {6},
      pages = {178-186},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20160406.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20160406.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20160406.14},
      abstract = {The study intended to establish potentials of forests in adaptation to climate change with references to North Nguu Mountain block communities. The major questions to be answered were as follows: 1. How do forests in the north Nguu Mountain blocks buffer local people to the impacts of climate change? 2. What resources are taped from the forests as a way to adapt to climate variability and change in the study area?To collect data, a questionnaire was administered to a sample population. Also focus groups discussions were conducted in the study villages and finally in-depth interviews with key informants were also usedto collect data. Content analysis was used to analyze collected data. Findings show that people living adjacent to the North Nguu Forests uses forests goods and services as buffers to the impacts of climate change. Resources that are taped from the forests are those that enable communities diversify and broaden their livelihood horizons; these include arable land, timber as well as the non-timber forest productssuch as wild fruits, berries, nuts and vegetables, honey, medicinal plants, grazing fields, game and game products, mining as well as water sources. Local people also benefit from conducive weather conditions i.e. sufficient and timely rainfall events accompanied with moderate temperatures. The study concludes that forests play a significant role in adaptation to climate change in the study area. However, the study also concludes that although most people use forests products and services to improve income and hence the general well being, they poorly conceive the relationship between forests and climate change. This has negative implications on sustainable forest resources use where over utilization and the general forests degradation are likely. The study therefore suggests that policy intervention is urgently required to promote sustainable resources utilization which in turnwill lead to increase of resources taped from the forests for adaptation to climate variability and change.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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    AU  - Magreth S. Bushesha
    AU  - Peter Mjata
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    AB  - The study intended to establish potentials of forests in adaptation to climate change with references to North Nguu Mountain block communities. The major questions to be answered were as follows: 1. How do forests in the north Nguu Mountain blocks buffer local people to the impacts of climate change? 2. What resources are taped from the forests as a way to adapt to climate variability and change in the study area?To collect data, a questionnaire was administered to a sample population. Also focus groups discussions were conducted in the study villages and finally in-depth interviews with key informants were also usedto collect data. Content analysis was used to analyze collected data. Findings show that people living adjacent to the North Nguu Forests uses forests goods and services as buffers to the impacts of climate change. Resources that are taped from the forests are those that enable communities diversify and broaden their livelihood horizons; these include arable land, timber as well as the non-timber forest productssuch as wild fruits, berries, nuts and vegetables, honey, medicinal plants, grazing fields, game and game products, mining as well as water sources. Local people also benefit from conducive weather conditions i.e. sufficient and timely rainfall events accompanied with moderate temperatures. The study concludes that forests play a significant role in adaptation to climate change in the study area. However, the study also concludes that although most people use forests products and services to improve income and hence the general well being, they poorly conceive the relationship between forests and climate change. This has negative implications on sustainable forest resources use where over utilization and the general forests degradation are likely. The study therefore suggests that policy intervention is urgently required to promote sustainable resources utilization which in turnwill lead to increase of resources taped from the forests for adaptation to climate variability and change.
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Author Information
  • Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The Open University of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

  • Independent Scholar, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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