The Rol 0 F Indigenous Knowledge in Forest Conservation: Case Study Of Kazimzumbwi Forest Coast Region

ABSTRACT

Though forests give a lot benefits to the local communities, they are

threatened by over exploitation as a result of deforestation activities The main

driving force behind this deforestation is land conversion, slash and burn

agriculture, shifting cultivation and fuel wood gathering. In Kazimzumbwj, an

ancient custom is slash and burn agriculture or shifting cultivation where by

trees are cut down, allowed to dry, and then burnt to create nutrient ashes,

which are mixed with soils in the cleared patch of forests.

This study was conducted in July 2007 in Kazimzumbwi forest reserve, within

the Tanzanian Coastal region. During the study fifty respondents were

interviewed from the area.

The aim of the study was to assess the role of indigenous knowledge on

conservation of forests in Kazimzumbwi forest reserve. The specific

objectives were to find out the cultures and traditional practices which were

essential in conservation of forests, to find out the level of awareness on

forests conservation, and to examine indigenous land use systems in relation

to conservation of forests.

Data collection involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. Selfadministered

questionnaires were used to collect data from respondents and

key informants. The researcher also used focus group discussians. The data

collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists

(SPSS).

The study revealed the age structure as follows, those between 51-60 were

28%, 61-70 and 30-40 both were 22%, 41-50 were 18% and 71 and above

were 10%. Such statistics indicate that majority of the respondents fell in the

group of the age of 51 years and above i.e. 60% of the respondents while the

remaining 40% were those below 51 years. Therefore we expect that majority

of the Kazimzumbwi residents are conversant with indigenous knowledge but

it seems that it was not integrated in the forest conservation efforts.

The study conduded that local institutions such as traditional leadership,

traditional healers, ritual forest, and various taboos and sacred sites and

practices have an active role in conservation and utilization of the forests and•

wildlife resources. At the moment these local institutions receives less

attention. This is caused by socioeconomic changes attributed by civilization

and religious beliefs, which tend to make the young generation not to follow the traditional rules which are pivoted on fear.