CFC Code: 46974

		The Galapagos of Africa by Alex Hipkiss, TFCG Coordinator "The Galapagos of Africa" best describes the 40 million year old mountain rainforests of East Africa.The rainforests are given this title as, like the Galapagos, they are a chain of islands - rainforest islands capping majestic mountains - surrounded by a sea - of people, wilderness and wildlife. This sea has separated these islands for millions of years, and as in the Galapagos Islands this isolation has led to each island developing is own rich and unique flora and fauna. This Galapagos in Africa is also given another, more commonly used title - The Eastern Arc - because of its location in East Africa and the crescent shape of its range. The Eastern Arc, formed when the earths crust faulted and buckled over 100 million years ago, begins in the shadow of the relatively young Mt Kilimanjaro and stretches towards the wet coastal plain through the Taita Hills and the Pare to the most biologically important mountain in The Arc - the Usambaras.For their biological diversity the Usambara forests are second only to the massive West African forests, yet cover less than 800 square miles.The mountains then reach back into the hinterland across the country and continue to the rocky pinnacles of the dramatic Nguu/Nguru range then the Rubeho, Ukaguru, Uluguru and Mahenge. The Arc is completed by the Udzungwa in the south west of the country. It is here where major discoveries are still being made - in 1981 a new species of primate, the Sanje Mangabey was discovered at the spectacular Sanje Falls. In 1994 a new species of Partridge, the Udzungwa Partridge, was discovered in the cooking pot of a villager near Ndundulu forest.People have existed in relative harmony with these mountains for millions of years. The mountains have much cultural importance as worship and ritual sites, as a place of refuge in times of conflict, and for food and shelter. However these traditions are fading. As the population grows rapidly there is increasing demand for land and forest resources and people are being pushed towards the forest. This, combined with increasing economic hardship means that people are looking for quick ways to make ends meet which ultimately means that they over exploit the forests. This situation is not helped by rigid and complex forest laws which take user rights away from the local communities. People are losing respect for the forest and the traditions and laws that their ancestors once practised. It is this lack of rights, combined with poverty that the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group is trying to address through community based conservation projects around the high biodiversity forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains - this Galapagos in Africa.
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