The Role of Woodlots in Forest Regeneration outside Protected Areas: Lessons from Tanzania

摘要: Promoting forest regeneration outside protected forests is an urgent challenge in densely settled, biodiverse areas like the East African Rift. Regenerating entails managing complex processes of ecological recovery as well understanding needs and motivations local land users. Here, we evaluate pathways for attaining native tree across variable site conditions. We investigate two common strategies regeneration—setting aside (‘Protect Wait’) planting (‘Native Tree Planting’)—and a possible third, smallholder exotic tree-planting (‘Woodlots’). measured seedling patterns each three strategies, all underway at single Southern Tanzania. also used historical aerial photograph analysis interviews with farmers to understand past present use. Our results show that has been arrested decades on under ‘Protect Wait’, survival appears be limited ‘Native Planting’. In contrast, found saplings 28 species growing spontaneously within pine, eucalyptus, cypress woodlots planted <400 m from boundaries. Interviews showed citizens most likely plant near were those who owned additional parcels elsewhere. Some saw means avoid losing crops wildlife edge. findings suggest: (1) Simply setting does not guarantee regrowth, even if it adjacent natural forest, (2) seedlings will more survive shade trees, (3) smallholders’ could hasten park edges have incentives protect their they can find elsewhere food crops.