SOKOINE UNIVERITY OF AGRICULTURE(SUA) BOTANICAL GARDEN.
Get to know the effort of late Mwalimu J. K. NYERERE toward controlled open conservation
Brilliant idea in controlled open conservation (SUA BOTANICAL GARDEN)
In simple explanation, Botanical garden is a well tended area displaying a wide range of plants labeled with their botanic name. Usually it contains specialist plant collections from particular parts of the world, including tropical, alpine desert, also indigenous and exotic plants.
SUA botanic garden was the idea of late Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere followed by the SUA chancellor in 1986. The area were set aside then established on the same year. The garden have been operating from fund provided under SUA-NORAD framework. The botanical garden has an area of 48hectares located at the university farm.
Plant species and animal species
It consist of 247 shrub and tree species that are divided in blocks within 13 hectares, these includes African species, American species, Australian and Asian species with different important species such as, mellicia excelsa, terocupus angolensis, anacardium occidentale, azadirachta indica, khaya authecus, dalbegia melanoxon and acacia spp.
The purpose of the SUA-Botanic garden
As other Garden all over the world it was meant for;
- Educational to the public, students and other academic members
- To display the germ-plasm collection for cultivated and wild species
- Conservation of endangered plant species of Tanzania.
- maintenance of natural vegetation reserve of Tanzania and Africa.
- Ecological collection
- Research and recreation.
Observation
The botanical garden is one of the open garden that serves much in the local ecosystem balance. Plants that found in is source of habitat to variety of birds and small animals, as well as carbon sink. This garden serves in supporting Uluguru Nature Reserve as one source of water catchment and water storage. Prior to its establishment, “University budget constraints due to under expectation of budget is a problem in maintaining it “ C.J.Shio, Faculty of Forestry and Nature conservation (SUA).
Now we know Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere in one of his effort in conservation
“ME & YOU” should continue this effort to save best for future generation.
