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Welcome to MAMCEP website
Magoroto Mlinga Community Ecotourism Project works to improve conservation and sustainable use of Magoroto and Mlinga forests in the East Usambara Mountains in northeastern Tanzania. We work with forest-adjacent communities to motivate them and build their capacity in forest conservation and alternative conservation-friendly livelihoods, especially sustainable agriculture and ecotourism. Special focus is on conservation of the endangered plant Saintpaulia, the flagship plant of these forests. Our work includes:
- Training villagers in forest conservation and sustainable agriculture
- Implementation of sustainable farming methods and tree planting
- Mapping and assessing viability of the Saintpaulia populations
- Tourism training for the villagers
- Documentation of attractions and development of tourist trails
- Building basic tourism infrastructure
- Facilitating the establishment of a community-based organization (MAMCEA) to strengthen local communities' institutional capacity for conservation and tourism development
- Building linkages with important stakeholders
- Tourism marketing
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Magoroto hills (in the background) are the water source for Muheza town |
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Mlinga Mountain seen from Amani |
Project updates:
30 May 2010: Implementation of improved and sustainable farming methods was initiated in April and May by planting trees and by establishing macro-countour bands on slope fields. The contours were planted with perennial crops (sugarcane and pineapple). A total of 6,8 km of contour bands were established by 38 farmers in three villages. Moreover, 238 clove trees, 65 cinnamon trees and 275 Grevillea robusta were planted. Albizia trees were also planted (numbers will be available later).
31 March 2010: Training of 44 farmers on improved and sustainable agriculture was completed in March.
2 March 2010: Field activities were resumed in mid-February after a two months monitoring of nursery seedlings and routine patrols in selected forest areas. Generally, the rate of forest disturbance has continued to decrease in both forests. Training on sustainable agriculture was initiated in the project villages. Sample macro-contour lines and a compost manure pit were constructed by the trainees as a demonstration exercise.
MAMCEA was awarded the USAID Appreciation Certificate under the Community Environmental Awards Scheme for the year 2009.
21 Jan 2010: Magoroto Mlinga Conservation and Ecotourism Association (MAMCEA) is now registered as a community-based organization in Tanzania.
6 Dec 2009: Activities conducted in November: Seedlings of Grevillea robusta, cloves and cinnamon were obtained and distributed for trainees in all the 3 targeted villages. Albizia seeds sown in October did well in the seedbeds and most of the seedlings were planted to poly pots.
13 Nov 2009: Constitution of the Magoroto Mlinga Conservation and Ecotourism Asociation (MAMCEA) was officially signed in a meeting held in Mwembeni village. (MAMCEA is a joint organization of the villages surrounding Magoroto and Mlinga forests. It works for forest conservation and tourism development issues at village level in collaboration with various stakeholders)
6 Nov 2009: Activities conducted in October: A basic course on forest conservation and sustainable agriculture was arranged at the new target village Mgambo. Thereafter, training on tree nursery establishment was conducted for trainees from all three target villages at Mwembeni. Five seedbeds were constructed, Albizia spp. was sawn and poly pots prepared as part of the nursery training.
11 Oct 2009: Project phase II started in September. The project setup included communications with the project stakeholders, a general meeting in the new target village Mgambo, and a joint meeting of representatives from all three target villages. The village authorities were asked to identify areas of action where model farming methods will be practised.
16 July 2009: The Rufford Small Grants Foundation awarded a grant for the project phase II.
Collaborator institutions:
Tanga Catchment Forest Authority
Muheza District
The following institutions are acknowledged for their support for this project:
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