Research:
Darwin project on invasive species
Defra Darwin Initiative Project called Combating Invasive Alien Plants threatening the East Usambara Mountains is a collaborative project between BioProtection (New Zealand), Amani Nature Reserve (Tanzania) and the Tropical Biology Assocation (UK and Kenya). This project focuses on investigating the ecology and distribution of alien invasive plants in the Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania.
For a full project description and species descriptions go to the Usambaras invasive plants webpage.
Darwin Invasive Plant Workshop 2008 will be hosted at the Peacock Hotel, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 31st January - 1st February 2008. The workshop title was "The growing threat of aliens plants in Tanzania: Lessons from the Eastern Arc and beyond". A Darwin Initiative Project 2005-2008.
Aims of the workshop
Day one of the workshop will examine the practices and principles of managing tropical alien plants and synthesise the results from the three-year programme. The second day will be attended by managers and decision makers so that the programme results can be presented and discussions take place on the way forward for Tanzania in its monitoring and management of invasive alien plants.
Specifically the workshop will
• Analyse management options for invasive alien plants in Tanzania
• Present the results of the follow-up work on invasion risk assessment in tropical ecosystems
• Present the research outputs on invasive alien plants in the East Usambaras
• Discuss the way forward for the participants and project partners beyond the life-time of the project
• Engage with managers and decision makers from key institutions in Tanzania to discuss monitoring and managing invasive alien plants in Tanzania , to-day and in the future
Target persons and institutions
Day one of the workshop is devoted to training on practices and principles of managing tropical alien plants. The 23 trainees who participated in the 2006 and 2007 Darwin workshops at Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania are expected to attend.
On day two, over 20 dignitaries (managers and decision makers) from at least 15 key institutions representing the Government of Tanzania as well as local and international academic, research and conservation institutions will join the workshop.
Also attending will be representatives from collaborating institutions in this project.
Expected output
This is the final workshop in a series of workshops planned under the project. Besides provide additional training and sharing results from the 3-year programme, the workshop will create cross-cutting awareness on the growing problems of invasive alien plants. Most importantly, the workshop is expected to define the way forward for Tanzania in its monitoring and management of invasive alien plants.
For more information please contact: Mr Anthony Kuria