Anthropogenic Drivers of Forest Change in Miombo Ecosystems of South-eastern Tanzania: Implications for REDD+

Authors

  • Kassim Kulindwa University of Dar es Salaam
  • Haakon Lein Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • Aloyce S Hepelwa University of Dar es Salaam
  • Buruani I Mshale University of Michigan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56279/ter.v6i1.22

Abstract

As the basic purpose of REDD+ is to avoid deforestation and forest degradation, a good understanding of processes that cause deforestation is obviously of importance. However, many REDD+ programs and policies have rather limited focus on the underlying processes behind forest change. Much of the on-going work within the REDD+ framework focus on building institutional capacity (‘REDD readiness'), finding ways or measuring and monitoring carbon, developing institutional facilities, and on the international financing of REDD+. It appears that the discussion of what actually causes deforestation is seen as a more or less resolved and settled issue. This paper argues for a more contextualized understanding of the drivers of forest change in human-dominated Miombo ecosystems of southern Tanzania. This is achieved through addressing two basic empirical research questions: How is the forest changing; and what factors influence forest change? The study is based on quantitative and qualitative data covering both socio-economic and ecological aspects collected in 12 villages of Kilwa and Lindi districts in southern Tanzania. The study shows that there are considerable micro-level variations from village to village as regard both the extent and drivers of deforestation/forest degradation.

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Author Biographies

Kassim Kulindwa, University of Dar es Salaam

Department of Economics, University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

kulindwa@gmail.com or kulindwa@udsm.act.tz

Haakon Lein, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Geography, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway:

Aloyce S Hepelwa, University of Dar es Salaam

Department of Economics, University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

ahepelwa@udsm.act.tz or ahepelwa@yahoo.com

Buruani I Mshale, University of Michigan

School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), University of Michigan, USA

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Published

2016-06-30

How to Cite

Kulindwa, K., Lein, H., Hepelwa, A., & Mshale, B. (2016). Anthropogenic Drivers of Forest Change in Miombo Ecosystems of South-eastern Tanzania: Implications for REDD+. UDSM Online Journal Testing, 6(1), 57–79. https://doi.org/10.56279/ter.v6i1.22