Human Encroachment Effects on Forests; A Case Study of Mount Meru-Arumeru District Arusha

2~BSTRACT It is common knowledge that ordinary Tanzanians are struggling for basic survival. These Tanzanians are povertystricken in all aspects of their existence. For his food man needs to cultivate land, to keep livestock’s for his meat and other source of protein, also man needs shelter as a life necessity. In doing so man destruct environment and encroach forests and fragile ecosystem either knowingly or unknowingly. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the human activities which contributed to the encroachment of forests and then find out some solutions to overcome this kind of problem. Poor managed areas by human can for example significantly degrade environmental resources by contaminating soil, water and air. Health and safety risk escalate in areas where housing or other land uses are allowed to he located in forest areas. Thus despite the fact that various campaigns have been made for encroachment of forests, this study seeks to show the impact or human activities to the environment and at the same time it is aimed at finding the solutions over this problem. Therefore the study will benefit the environmental planners and forest rangers in a number of ways and consequently will benefit the whole society at large. The study also will be able to establish criticisms and recommendations wherever required on various aspects of the methods to be used by the environmentalists on provision of education to the people. This will help planners and environmentalists to reach necessary amendments on required issues on such methods. However it must be noted that majority or Tanzanians who are living below the poverty line must be assisted to lift themselves up from this dividing line if the call for environmental protection has to make sense and fulfill the national expectation to protect the national environment. Thus Poverty plus Environment equals to Environmental degradation while Prosperity plus Environment equals to environmental protection

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Declaration 2

Statement of Copyright 2

Dedication 3

Acknowledgement 4

Table of Contents 5

List of Table, List of Photographs & List of

Figure 7

Abstract 8

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Definition of Environment 9

1.2 Background to the study 9

1.3 Statement of the Problem 10

1.4 Objectives of the Study 11

1.5 Hypothesis 11

1.6 Significance of the Study 11

1.7 Scope of the Study 12

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Characteristics of tropical forests 13

2.3 Uniqueness of Forests 14

2.4 Human activities on forests 15

2.5 Impact of human activities on forests 17

CHAPTER THREE: J~4ETHODOLOGY

3.1 Primary Data 19

3.2 Secondary Data 19

3.3 Sampling Procedure 19

3.4 Data Analysis 19

3.5 Area of the study 19

3.6 Limitation in executing the study 20

3.7 Organization of the Study 21

CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH FINDINGS, ANALYSIS

AJSJD DISCUSSIONS

4.1 Aspect that show the level of people’s

knowledge on environmental degradation

through forest encroachment 22

5

4.2 Perception on encroachment of forests 23

4.3 Human activities responsible for Forest

Encroachment/Deforestation in Arumeru 24

4.4 Dangers of Forest encroachment/deforestation

to the environment and society 28

4.5 Forest Conservation 29

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMM~RY, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMTi4ENDATION

5.1 Summary of the study 35

5.2 The issue of human activities that

mostly affect the environment 35

5.3 The issue of awareness over the

forest degradation 35

5.4 Attitude towards conservation

of the environment 35

5.5 Concluding Remarks 36

5.6 Recommendations 36

5.7 Suggestions for Further Study 36

BIBLIOGRAPHY 39

QUESTIONNAIRE 40