Overview
The Kitulanghalo Catchment Forest Reserve was established in 1955 and declared in a government gazette GN 198 of 3/6/55 for conservation and catchment protection purposes. The reserve is part of Sangasanga river. There are no permanent surface streams. Underground run off is collected by streamlets at the foot as Lubungo stream and tributaries of the Ngerengere river.
Location
Kitulanghalo Forest Reserve is located 35 Km. north east of Morogoro Municipality in Morogoro Rural District, along Morogoro – Dar es Salaam highway. The forest covers the ridge between the main road and the Sangasanga river from an altitude of 350 to 774 m. The gazetted area is 6518 acres (2638ha.) with gazetted boundary length of 18 km.
Establishment
The Kitulanghalo Catchment Forest Reserve was established in 1955 and declared in a government gazette GN 198 of 3/6/55 for conservation and catchment protection purposes. The reserve is part of Sangasanga river. There are no permanent surface streams. Underground run off is collected by streamlets at the foot as Lubungo stream and tributaries of the Ngerengere river.
Training and Research done at Kitulanghalo Training Forest
Part of the forest (500Ha.) were leased to SUA in 1991as Training Forest to cater for practical training and research regarding indigenous forest especially Miombo which is considered to cover a large portion of woodlands in Tanzania.
1. Forest Management Plan Training – Collection of data for preparation of a five year Management Plan. This is one of key subject for completion of BSc. Forestry Degree course
2. Participatory Forest Management (PFM) on the local livelihoods – December 2012
3. Management of Indigenous Tree Species for Ecosystems Restoration and Wood Production in Semi-arid Miombo Woodlands in Eastern Africa, 2006 – 2008
4. Impact of Fire on Soil in Relation to Regeneration of Miombo and Savannah Woodlands of the Semi-arid and Dryland Ecosystem of Tanzania and Ethiopia, AFORNET 2007.
Research activities in Kitulanghalo Training Forest
Research in the dry evergreen forest stand
Vegetation
Woodland covers 60% of the reserve on the lower and higher slopes except the summit and eroded parts. Dominated by; Brachystegia spp, Combretum zeyheri,Dichrostachys cinerea, Julbernadia globiflora, Markhamia zanzibarica, Pterocarpus angolensis, Acacia nigrescens and other combretum spp
Brachystegia/Julbernadia community in the Kitulanghalo Training Forest
Brachystegia community in the Kitulanghalo Training Forest
Dry semi evergreen forest covers 30% mainly on the summit and eastern slopes. Dominated with trees of 15-20m tall; Manilkara sulcata, Bequaertiodendron natalense, Croton sylvaticus, Cussonia zimmermannii, Ricinodendron heudelotti and Terminalia sambeziaca. In the lower and shrub layer there is undescribed Coffea spp, Commiphora pteleifolia, Gandindiera boivinii and Excoecaria madagascariensis.
Dry evergreen stand in kitunghalo Training Forest
Forest benefits
Local communities living adjacent to the reserve consider the benefits of the Kitulanghalo reserve to be;
· Amelioration of climate
· Collection of wild honey from tree boles
· Hunting of wild animals for domestic protein source
· Lumbering for timber
· Collection of roots, leaves and bark for medicinal purposes
· Collection of wild fruits, mushrooms, vegetables and insects (sondo)
· Collection of fuelwood (firewood and charcoal making)
· Cultural place
· Cutting of trees and tree branches for building poles and rafters
· Source of water supply
· Thatching grasses