Southern Tanzania is still believed to have natural
vegetation cover consisting of mostly miombo woodland with well-known valuable
tree species such as Dalbergia
melanoxylon (Mpingo) along with others hard timber tree species such as Millettia stuhlmannii (pangapanga), Afzelia Quanzensis (mkongo), Pterocupus angolensis (mninga), Bobgunia Madagascariensis (msekeseke)
and many more . Most of miombo woodland
species have unique characteristics of needing fire for their growth and
succession for example Mninga seed needs fire for it to become seedling and
will continue to need fire throughout their life for their growth. Mpingo
Conservation Development Initiative (MCDI) has been putting efforts in conservation
of these valuable species through community empowerment and awareness rising.
One of the major activity is fire controlling through prescribed burning of the
forest. MCDI have well trained team that works with and teach the community how
to conduct prescribed burning.
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| accident resulted to instant death (c) LACI 2015 |
However, wild fire has gone out of control especially outside
villages where MCDI is operating and it has been reported as source of
destruction of property and death. During my trip back to Kilwa Masoko from one
of the likely isolated village in Kilwa namely Ruyaya, wild fire had caused a
tragic car accident which 3 people were reported to die instantly. The fire was
set up by unknown villager. A local witness from Mavuji village where the
accident happened said whoever set up the fire was trying to clear land from
the tall grass.
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| smoke blocking the road visibility (c) LACI 2015 |
Wild fire has been complained by various group of people
such as conservator’s, some community members within the villages and truck drivers
especially those transporting flammable cargo which sometime they must stop for
long time until fire stop because of fear of risking life and the shipment.
From the observed accident by mass of local community, must be a warning sign
to community about risk and effects of uncontrolled burning.
Conservation is responsibility of everyone, conservation agencies, authorities and scientist we should rise our voices in
conservation of southern Tanzania Natural habitats before it come to its knees. From above incident and
many others which stays unreported, it is essential for us to call for help
from both international and local stakeholders on bringing intervention to
reduce wild fire and insisting on prescribed controlled burning of farms and
natural vegetation.
-Lost in Africa.
**conservation for present and future generation**
**conservation for present and future generation**
