Zanzibar currently has six government protected areas totaling 11, 960 ha, 828 ha of protected mangroves, and 14,247 ha designated as high protection zones under 36 Community Forest Management Agreements (CoFMA).  Thus, over 10% of Zanzibar’s total land area (245,000 ha) and 4% of its mangroves (20,000 ha) under some form of protection.  These areas are biologically important and economically vital for water catchment, carbon sequestration, traditional medicines and other non-timber forest products, soil fertility, and protection from coastal erosion (which is predicted to increase dramatically with climate change).  In addition, ecotourism is growing in Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park (JCBNP), Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve (KPFW) and Ngezi-Vumawimbi Nature Forest Reserve. Revenue sharing schemes are in place to ensure that revenues are both recycled back into the PAs for management purposes and shared with local communities.  

The main threats to these PAs and Zanzibar’s biodiversity are forest destruction and degradation due to cutting for firewood, charcoal production and building poles, and agricultural encroachment.  With its very high human population density (400 individuals/km2) which is increasing at an estimated rate of 3.1% per year, Zanzibar is currently losing approximately 1,000 ha (or 1.2%) of its remaining natural vegetation annually (DCCFF 2008).  Concomitant with forest loss is depletion in faunal biodiversity; for example, the Aders’ duiker population declined an estimated 88% in the 17 years between 1983 and 1999 (Swai 1983, Williams et al. 1996, Kanga 1999). Similarly, there have been sharp decreases in endemic bird populations such as Fischer’s Turaco, the Brown-Headed Parrot and the Pemba Owl.  Although some government and community managed forests have been established, they are ineffectively managed due to modest resources and low human capacity. They are increasingly threatened by fragmentation and isolation by a human population with limited alternative livelihood options. 

Our goal for Zanzibar is the persistence of viable populations of all of Zanzibar endangered endemics in a cohesive and well-managed network of government and community protected areas. These will be linked by functional habitat corridors and supported by local communities that benefit economically, environmentally and culturally from the conservation of their natural heritage.  To realize this goal we propose to implement effective management across a network of government and community managed PAs, expand the number of PAs to include all remaining forest patches that are important for the continued survival of Zanzibar’s natural heritage, restore connectivity among the PAs, build the capacity of communities and the forestry sector to manage PAs, explore sustainable financing mechanisms, and build public understanding of and support for PAs. << Read less

(1) Create a network that incorporates all remaining conservation-priority forests into sustainably-managed government and community PAs linked by functional corridors; (2) Improve planning and management of the PA network; (3) Develop standardized long-term ecological monitoring programs across the entire network of government and community PAs; (4) Improve community forest management and equitable benefit sharing and Raise awareness of the importance of PAs.

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The forests of Zanzibar are a key part of one of the world’s top eight biodiversity hotspots, the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya. Moreover, this hotspot ranks highest in the world for its density of endemic plants and vertebrates (Myers et al. 2000).  Biogeographically, Zanzibar’s flora belongs to the Zanzibar-Inhambane regional centre of endemism (UNEP, 2001), which extends from Somalia to Mozambique.  The forests of Unguja and Pemba, the main two islands of Zanzibar, are ranked as top priority landscapes in the Eastern Africa Coastal Forests Ecoregion.  Having separated from mainland Africa at least 15,000 years ago, these forests harbor a unique flora and fauna which is both locally and globally important.  At least 17 endemic plant and 6 endemic vertebrate species (including two of Africa’s most endangered mammals, the Zanzibar Red Colobus and Aders’ duiker) are found in these forests.  Despite being severely threatened by a rapidly growing human population, Zanzibar’s forests still maintain most of their original faunal assemblages. If we act quickly there is still time to conserve these forests in a comprehensive network of government and community protected areas linked by functional corridors (see attached map of proposed PA network for Unguja; the Pemba PA network is yet to be designed).  In addition to being unique from mainland Tanzania ecologically, Zanzibar has its own government, legislature and strategic planning processes, thus in terms of conservation complementarity, the conservation of its resources is even more important. << Read less

As part of a Zanzibar-wide gap analysis to develop the PA network, a detailed land cover map of the islands of Zanzibar is being developed from aerial photographs.  In addition, via our monitoring programs in JCBNP, KPFR, and 16 community forests we have completed baseline forest inventories, from which can be calculated forest density, basal area, biomass and carbon stocks.  Carbon storage will be ensured within the government and community PAs by the establishment of effective law enforcement and long-term monitoring. WCS has a developing REDD program looking at quantifying and monitoring carbon values across Tanzania. It is hoped this can be extended to Zanzibar. << Read less

DCCFF and WCS are committed to a long-term partnership to fund and implement an island-wide PA network.  WCS currently funds and conducts ecological monitoring programs in JCBNP, KPFR and in 16 community forests, and is developing an Unguja Island PA network proposal (WCS-Tanzania Strategic plan 2002-2013).  DCCFF and WCS will continue to fundraise both individually and in partnership to achieve the goals outlined in this “Expression of Interest.”  In addition, this project will strengthen the management of the currently active sustainable finance scheme, ecotourism; and will explore the potential to develop additional PES projects, such as REDD.  Currently ecotourism revenue from the existing government PAs are (1) used in the management of the PA in which it was raised and (2) shared with local communities to help with implementation of CoFMAs. << Read less

The overall goal of this project is to develop an effective and nationwide PA network that combines both community and government PAs.  Communities will be involved in all steps of this process from zoning of forests into use zones, to drafting and implementing Community Forest Management Agreements (CoFMA), and monitoring their success.  Communities will benefit by the establishment of CoFMAs as this is a legally binding process, giving them the right to manage their lands.  They will further benefit from the sharing of tourism revenues from the adjacent government PAs. In addition, they will benefit from extensive capacity building to develop the skills necessary to develop and effectively manage PAs. << Read less

The proposed project coincides with the new Zanzibar National Forest Resources Management Plan (2009-2020) which emphasizes the conservation of forest PAs and establishment of a PA system to contribute to the welfare of communities while safeguarding biodiversity.  The proposed project also links with priorities identified in the Strategic Plan of the Zanzibar Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment (2005-2010) which emphasizes good governance to promote management of forest resources and lands in order to preserve soil, groundwater and improve fertility, and to enhance agricultural productivity.  In addition, the project will support the Zanzibar Vision 2020 which emphasizes the need to maintain and improve forest conservation with the aim of promoting and diversifying economic activities of the local community such as ecotourism in forest areas. << Read less

Goal 1.1: To establish and strengthen national and regional systems of protected areas integrated into a global network as a contribution to globally agreed goals
Goal 1.2: To integrate protected areas into broader land- and seascapes and sectors so as to maintain ecological structure and function
Goal 1.4: To substantially improve site-based protected area planning and management
Goal 1.5: To prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of key threats to protected areas
Goal 2.1: To promote equity and benefit-sharing
Goal 2.2: To enhance and secure involvement of indigenous and local communities and relevant stakeholders
Goal 3.1: To provide an enabling policy, institutional and socio-economic environment for protected areas
Goal 3.2: To build capacity for the planning, establishment and management of protected areas
Goal 3.4: To ensure financial sustainability of protected areas and national and regional systems of protected areas
Goal 3.5: To strengthen communication, education and public awareness
Goal 4.1 - To develop and adopt minimum standards and best practices for national and regional protected area systems
Goal 4.3: To assess and monitor protected area status and trends
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