As with many other researchers, my work has been impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in delays in my travel and research permits. The plan was to start my fieldwork during the summer of 2020. But, because of travel restrictions, I started my fieldwork around March 2021.
I was excited when travel restrictions were relaxed a little bit. I took a flight right away to go to Tanzania, Kigoma to start my 1-year fieldwork. My trip took approximately 18 hours. It was my first time wearing a mask for so many hours consecutively.
I started my fieldwork in Kigalye and Mtanga villages. My project involved 13 villages and Gombe National Park as a comparison site. Before going to the forest reserves in these villages to perform a vegetation plot survey, I conducted meetings with village leaders, where I explained the goal of the project and the benefit it will bring. Village leaders were excited about the project. They really wish to know more about their forest and that is what I am going to let them know soon. I promised them that once I’m done with my study I will write a report and share it with them. Because, in most cases, communities may not read my report, I am looking for funding to help me disseminate the results of my study to many people in these villages. I feel that together with reports (specific for each village), meetings and presentations to the villagers will help reach out to many people in these villages. I think this is critical because it is local people that ultimately decide the fate of their reserves.
I was excited to start my fieldwork. Here I am with a research team of very knowledgeable people. Mr Yahya Shaaban Abeid, a local botanist, the first one in the picture, was excited to visit these villages. It was his first time visiting villages in the north of Kigoma.
The research team arrived at Kigalye village. You can see in the picture the local sifter used to dry Tanganyika sardines in the sun, along some houses, mosques and the Kigalye forest reserve behind.
A meeting with village leaders of Kigalye village was a very successful meeting. It helped set the stage for improvement in the other meetings. The leaders in Kigalye village asked many questions, including the benefits of the proposed project. I really like their enthusiasm. I tried to be as honest as possible in answering their questions not to raise false expectations.
For instance, in answering the question of the benefit of the project, I happily said that the project will generate critical information on determining the health of the forest. Information, such as the type of tree species found in the village forest reserve, the extent of forest cover change since the establishment of the reserve, and the suitability of the reserve in providing quality habitat for wildlife, particularly chimpanzees is critical for improving the conservation and management of these reserves. Also, through this project, we are going to set up permanent vegetation plots for monitoring purposes. Things like community-based tourism activities need this information for proper planning and implementation. I tried to simplify my project in such a way that village leaders can understand. Honestly, it was not an easy task.
For villages located in areas that are difficult or costly to reach each day (from Kigoma town), I requested a place to camp. Kigalye was among them. I camped there for almost 2 weeks before going to Mtanga village
Mr Kashindi Msafiri is the forest monitor (a member of the village who volunteers to monitor the forest – under the facilitation of the Jane Goodall Institute. I enjoyed working with him. He knows his forest very well. He knows many tree species by their local name. After showing him the map of where we will be visiting each day he prepared the plan for us. Then he led the team to the field.
Kigalye and Mtanga village forest reserves were the reserves I visited at the beginning of my fieldwork.
The points with red are the location of the vegetation plots for Kigalye and Mtanga village forest reserves.
I identified them before going to the field. I used satellite imagery to categorize them as mature or second-growth forests.
My study area is characterized by hills and valleys. It was very challenging in the first days of my fieldwork. Mr Filbert Anthony, a forest monitor of Mtanga village who joined us for these first days of my fieldwork, he was the one who waited for me when other members of the research team were far away as I was walking slowly at the beginning of the project.
While in the field we sometimes collected mushrooms in the forest to be part of the evening meals. Villagers always go inside the reserves to collect these mushrooms as well. Others have built houses due to the mushroom business. They took the mushrooms and went to the Kigoma town market where they sell them and use the money for their well-being.
In some situations, the identification of tree species can be challenging. Leaves of tall and big trees are difficult to see very well. A botanist, Mr. Yahya Shaaban Abeid sometimes uses binoculars to investigate the leaves of tall trees during the identification process. You can see him in the picture in his ritual position while identifying the tree. He does this for any tall tree species he needs to see the leaves before confirming the scientific name of the tree species.
Another view of Kigalye village and its forest reserve. Thank you for your time reading this article.