Project Areas

Mount Hanang Nature Reserves

Mount Hanang Nature Forest Reserve is one of the priority conservation landscapes supported under the Building the Resilience of Forest Biodiversity to the Threats of Climate Change (BUREFOBI) Project. Implemented by the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) and the Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) Agency, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the project aims to strengthen biodiversity conservation and enhance the resilience of forest ecosystems to climate change.

Located in the Manyara Region, Mount Hanang is an ecologically significant montane forest that provides critical ecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation, water catchment protection, climate regulation, and sustainable livelihood opportunities for surrounding communities.

Project Objectives

The BUREFOBI Project supports the conservation and sustainable management of Mount Hanang Nature Forest Reserve through the following objectives:

• Strengthen biodiversity conservation and improve ecosystem resilience.
• Enhance climate change adaptation through sustainable forest management.
• Protect critical water catchment areas and restore degraded forest habitats.
• Improve ecological monitoring and biodiversity management systems.
• Strengthen forest protection through improved law enforcement and patrol capacity.
• Promote community participation in forest conservation and sustainable livelihood initiatives.
• Support ecotourism development as a sustainable source of income for local communities.

Key Project Interventions

To achieve these objectives, the project is implementing several conservation and development activities, including:

• Construction and rehabilitation of ranger posts and conservation infrastructure.
• Provision of equipment and capacity building for effective forest patrols.
• Restoration of degraded forest ecosystems using indigenous tree species.
• Fire prevention, preparedness, and management.
• Biodiversity monitoring, ecological research, and habitat assessment.
• Environmental education and community awareness programmes.
• Development of ecotourism facilities and visitor services.
• Strengthening collaboration with local communities for sustainable forest management.

Conservation Significance

Mount Hanang Nature Forest Reserve is one of Tanzania's most important montane forest ecosystems, supporting unique plant and animal species while protecting essential water catchments that sustain surrounding communities.

Through the BUREFOBI Project, conservation efforts are enhancing the reserve's resilience to climate change, habitat degradation, wildfires, and unsustainable resource use. These interventions contribute to safeguarding Tanzania's forest biodiversity, maintaining ecosystem services, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development for present and future generations.