Environment
Serikali inawahimiza watu kutunza misitu. Tunayo mipango kutunza uoto wa asili uliopo, miti na mimea, pamoja na wanyama. Pengine, Mungu akipenda, kuanzisha ‘Bustani ya ndege’, ili kuwavuta watalii. Kutunza mazingira ya eneo hili ni muhimu kwetu. Miti ina faida kubwa: licha kuwapatia watu mbao, kuni na dawa, inasafisha hewa kwa kupunguza dioksidi ya kaboni, inavutia mvua, inatunza vyanzo vya maji kwa sababu inakinga maji ardhini.
Kwetu, uzuri wa msitu unawasaidia wanafunzi wetu, wageni wetu, kumtambua Mungu katika viumbe vyake. Kwa kusudi hili tumetenga eneo kuwa hifadhi ya msitu, kama hektari 200. Tunajitahidi:
Kuhusiana vizuri na viumbe vyote
Tunapokaa kati ya viumbe tunaendelea kusali:
“Ee Mungu Baba Mwenyezi wewe uliyemtoa Mwanao Pekee ili aje kwetu ulimwengunu humu kutukomboa sisi wanadamu na kutupatanisha na viumbe vyake vyote ili kurejesha uhusiano mzuri wa Mwanadamu na viumbe vyote.
Ee Mungu Baba Mwenyezi tunakuomba kwa njia ya Mwanao Yesu Kristo utujalie neema ya kuishi vizuri na viumbe vyako vyote, kuvipenda na kuvitunza, tunapokaa hapa duniani. Utupe macho yako ya ki-Mungu ili tuweze kuona uzuri wa viumbe vyako, jinsi ulivyoviumba kwa namna ya ajabu na jinsi vinavyokusifu na kukuhimidi wewe. Na mwisho tufarahi huko mbinguni pamoja navyo, na malaika zako na watakatifu wako, na mama yetu Bikira Maria, Malkia wa ulimwengu. Amina.”
Tunapokaa kati ya viumbe tunavibariki. Kwa mfano hatuui nyoka porini bali tunambariki kwa maneno: “Tunaishi pamoja, mimi sikuue unapokaa mahali pako, katika mazingira yako, Mungu akubariki na usimdhuru mtu yeyote hapa Kungwe.”
Kuthibiti moto
Tunafanya juu chini kudhibiti moto, adui wa kwanza wa msitu. Kwa kusudi hilo tunazuia watu kukata miti holela katika eneo tuliloweka kuwa hifadhi ya msitu, hasa kuingia ki-haramu na kutayarisha mashamba yao. Kukata miti inasababisha majani kuwepo kwa uwingi, na baada ya majani kukauka, kuruhusu moto kuwaka kwa kasi.
Kila mwaka tunafyeka kinga za kuzuia moto kuenea katika eneo kubwa. Hata hivyo mara nyingi moto unatushinda, unavuka kinga hizo. Pengine watu wanawasha moto ndani ya eneo la Kungwe. Kwa nini? Ni vigume kujibu swali hilo. Mwaka 2019 ulikuwa ukame mkubwa. Kwa miezi na miezi mvua haikunyesha. Moto ulipowaka umeenea katika eneo kubwa. Karibu 80% za msitu zimeungua. Tulifidia kidogo kwa kupande miti Mikangazi (Khaya nyasika) zaidi ya 1.000. Lakini ni kitu gani tukilinganisha na miti midogo iliyoharibika kabisa!
Kuvitunza viumbe
Kwa kusudi hilo tuna mipango ya kuunda kuunda ‘corridor’ kati ya misitu.Kwa hiyo tunategemea kwa miaka ijayo, kama itawezekana kwa kushirikiana na vijiji vya karibu, kuunda ‘corridor‘ ya miti ili kuunganisha misitu ya Kungwe na sehemu sehemu ya msitu wa Luhakwi. Jambo hilo ni muhimu kwa ajili ya kuvilinda viumbe vipatikanavyo katika mazingira hayo tu na ambavyo vipo hatarini kutoweka, kwa sababu ya sehemu ndogo ndogo ya mazingira yao vinapoishi.
Mwaka 2004 tulipofika katika maeneo hayo tuliwakuta nyati, nguruwe pori na swala mkubwa. Kwa sasa hatuwaoni kwa sababu watu walivamia msitu wa Kungwe, ambao ni hifadhi ya ki-taifa. Viumbe vingi vidogo vinakufa wakati wa moto, kama kobe, konokono, kinyonga na vingine vingi ambavyo haviwezi kukimbia.
Kujenga mabwawa ya maji
Tumeanza mikakati ya kutengeneza bwawa kubwa ambalo litaweza kuwagawia maji wenyeji 1.000. Mradi huu upo chini ya usimamizi wa Wilaya. Tunasubiri kupata hati ya kumiliki ili kutafuta fedha kwa Benki, NGO na serikali, kuanzisha mradi huo.
Pia tunayo mipango kutayarisha mabwawa madogo, katika sehemu mbalimbali ya hifadhi ya msitu. Kujenga mabwawa kutawapatia wanadamu, mifugo, na viumbe vya pori, maji wakati wa kiangazi na pia kutatengeneza unyevu ambazo utasaidia kudhibiti moto.
Kutoa Semina kuhusu elimu ya viumbe
Hifadhi ya msitu huu itatuwezesha semina na kozi mbalimbali zitolewe, kuhusu utunzaji wa viumbe.Kwa mfano semina:
* ‘Forest management’, yaani Namna ya kutunza misitu kwa ajili ya viongozi wa vijiji.
* Elimu ya viumbe, kama ndege, wanyama pori, n.k.
* Ufugaji wa kisasa wa nyuki.
* Ufugaji wa samaki.
* Utumiaji wa samadi (biogas).
* N.k.
To care for the environment
To preserve what is there
Following the policy of the governent of Tanzania to look after the environment we have put about 200 hectares of forest as a reserve. It is a lowland forest, average altitude 35 m situated in the peirphery of Uluguru Mountain, one of the Hotspots of biological diversity.
The flora of this forest reserve of Kungwe Centre is rich in precious species of trees, as, for example: Pterocarpus angolensis (African Teak), Pericopis angolensis (East African afrormosia), Milicia exelsa (Iroko), Dalbergia melanoxylon (African Blackwood), and others.
It was a great surprise to us to finds a patch of African Black wood, near our houses. The land was burnt six years ago, trees have grown up and this species has taken a big share.
The fauna is rich in animals. One could observe buffalos, black monkeys, White and Black Colobus, antilops, wild pigs and many small mammals of many kinds. Once Leopard has been spotted in the Forest. Most probably he was passing. Unfortunately buffallos and wild pigs dissappeared a few years ago because people have invaded the National Forest of Kungwe. We hope, that after removing people from the National Forest and creating a big water reserve, they will come back, especially during the dry season.
There are also all kinds of reptiles, from the smallest to the biggest the Python, including the Black Cobra, the Cape File Snake (Mehelya Capensis), the Puff Adder (Bitis arietans), and many others.
Red-headed Weaver
During the rainy season one can enjoy to look at the beautiful flowers which grow wild in the bush or deep inside the forest.
There is an army of insects of all kinds.
Our knowledge is very little to find out which species of spiders, ants, worms, flies and so on. We leave this to the specialists who dedicated their lives to classify the millions of insects found in the world.
To care for the environment is a priority for us.
To look for the environment is very important for us and for the good of many, especially for the good of the next generation. That’s why we plan:
To prevent people to cut tree without prior permission and above all without planting new ones. However, as we have seen during these few years, the main ennemy of the forests is fire. So we will use all our power to prevent the forests to be destroyed by fire.
To create ponds which will supply, during the dry season, drinking water for wild animals and birds..
We intend in the near future:
To create, in sharing with the neighbouring villages, a corridor between the two remaining patches of forest of Kungwe and Luhakwi. This is important in order to preserve the many species found in those small patches of forest; some are endemics, which are in danger of disappearing because of the reduction of their milieu of life.
The environment attracts tourists, from Tanzania and outside Tanzania, those who are looking to enjoy nature, to meet wild life, to rejoice with birds and so on. And so if possible to create a ‘Birds Sanctuary’ in connection with the Wildlife Society of Tanzania. This will attract many people who are eager to see their beauty and hear their melodious songs.
Kungwe Centre will help the villagers:
To learn to care for the environment for their profits and the good of Tanzania.
To learn bee’s keepings and get some profits from the honey production. Bees keeping help people to realize the importance of trees.
At Kungwe Centre seminars and courses will be offered on subjects concerning environment, as for example,
Forests management, this will provide the leaders of the neighbouring villages with adequate opportunity to care for the environment.
Wild animals and Birds knowledge.
Butterflies knowledge, in order to enable people to start a butterfly farm, if possible, like these farms in Usambara.
Bee’s keepings, this contributed to reduce global warming.
Fishes raising, this will help villagers to have another source of getting proteins.
And others.
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We are looking for partnership with an University to look after this forest reserve. There are great opportunities to make research, about trees, birds, reptiles and insects.
Anyone interested contact us through our email addresses:
kungwecentre@gmail.com
kungwecentre@outlook.com