This page summarises the progress of the Darwin Initiative Project over the last 18 months, with progress updates written in September 2006 and September 2005.
September 2007
During the last twelve months, a workshop on invasion risk assessments was held in the Amani Nature Reserve; two follow-up projects from the last workshop were successfully completed and posters produced; the two MSc students finished their field work; and the third season of field work for the doctorate research was completed.
In May 2007, a training workshop on Invasion Risk Assessment in Tropical Ecosystems was held in Amani Nature Reserve. Building on the skills that participants gained in 2006, the 2007 workshop taught up to date techniques in the risk assessment of invasive alien plant species. A total of 14 participants from 9 institutions attended. Of these, 9 had attended the 2006 workshop while 5 were new participants selected from 15 applications received mainly from TAWIRI, TAFORI, TANAPA, SUA and the Tanzanian Forestry and Beekeeping Division. These institutions were targeted because of their engagement in research, management and control of invasive alien plants. Participants ranged from park ecologists and forest research officers to lecturers. Teaching was through interactive lectures, practical exercises, presentations, discussions and posters. Five participants presented work that had been stimulated by the 2006 workshop and carried out in the intervening year. Participants identified further work that could be carried out based on the skills learned during the workshop and were invited to apply for support to do so. Participants also recommended that future workshops should cover management of invasive alien plant species, and techniques for monitoring and ecological restoration of areas with invasive plants.
The two Tanzanian MSc students funded under this project, John Richard and Edward Ezekial, have completed their fieldwork and are writing up their theses at Sokoine University of Agriculture. They are soon to go out to New Zealand to visit Phil Hulme at the National Centre for Advanced BioProtection Technologies of the Lincoln University for supervision on their write ups.
Wayne Dawson has completed his third season of his PhD work and will also visit New Zealand at the end of this year.
September 2006
Progress to date has closely followed the agreed baseline timetable and included: running a workshop on invasive species mapping and monitoring, launching two MSc research projects, completing the first phase of PhD data collection and establishing a detailed project website.
The "Invasive plants in tropical forest ecosystems: An introduction to mapping and monitoring biological invasions" workshop was organised in Amani Nature Reserve between 12th and 16th June 2006. This website contains details of the workshop, including the aims and a timetable. Prior to the workshop, the UK partners spent considerable time preparing course materials, advertising the course, selecting candidates and planning the logistics. The course was led by the UK partners in association with Mr Corodius Sawe, Conservator of Amani Nature Reserve; Prof Seif Madoffe and Dr P. Munishi, Sokoine University of Agriculture; and Mr Ahmed Mndolwa, Tanzania Forest Research Institute. The workshop comprised a series of lectures, seminars, group discussions and field exercises. Fifteen participants were selected for the course from a total list of over 30 applicants. All trainees were young, professional researchers working in conservation issues in Tanzania. The organisations represented included: Sokoine University of Agriculture, College of African Wildlife Management-Mweka, Tanzania Forest Research Institute, Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Forest and Beekeeping Division, Tanzania Forest Conservation Group, and the University of Dar es Salaam. The course covered such diverse topics as using GPS, reading and creating maps, field survey techniques, GIS, and invasive plant ecology. The course was particularly well received and has established a network of like-minded researchers keen to progress future work on invasive plants in Tanzania.
Two MSc research projects were initiated this autumn. Mr John Richard will be addressing "Status of the Panama rubber (Castilla elastica) in Amani Nature Reserve: Spread and Management options" while Mr Ezekiel Edward will conduct a study of "Population status and spread of Cordia alliodora in Amani Nature Reserve, Tanzania". These projects were discussed in the field with both research students and their Tanzanian supervisors, draft research proposals were prepared, assessed by Sokoine University and have now been approved. The UK PhD student, Mr Wayne Dawson, successfully completed his second field season in Amani and presented early findings at the British Ecological Society conference in early September 2006.
September 2005
The project start was initiated by the two UK partners undertaking a 10 day visit to Tanzania in April 2005. Key meetings were held with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Forest and Beekeeping Division. Mr. Isaya Y. Mnangwone, Assistant Director Research, Training and Statistics was especially enthusiastic about the project. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was subsequently drawn up relating to the training and research provision inherent in the Darwin Project. This meeting was followed up with the Tanzanian Forest Research Institute (TAFORI) in Morogoro where the Director General, Mr L Nsubemeki, approved the project and emphasised the increasing need for capacity building in the area of biological invasions. Discussions were also held with Universities. In Dar es Salaam University (Institute of Resource Assessment), Prof. Yanda and Dr Schechambo provided information on their plans to establish a GIS for the Eastern Arc Forests and MSc training opportunities. More formal meetings were arranged at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro (Faculty of Nature Conservation). A round table meeting to discuss the project was held with the Heads of several departments. Subsequently an MOU was signed between the University and the Tropical Biology Association (TBA) that covers the research and training elements of the Darwin project. The third group of stakeholders approached were the NGOs including the Eastern Arc Mountain Conservation and Management Project (Dr Neil Burgess) and Eastern Arc Mountain Conservation Endowment Fund (Mr Shedrack Mashauri). Again biological invasions were seen as a major knowledge gap in conservation activities and considerable information exchange took place to the benefit of all parties. Over the summer the TBA coordinated the advertising and interviewing of candidates for the Darwin Scholar MSc positions at Sokoine University. Considerable interest was generated by this opportunity (>30 applications) and a strong shortlist drawn up for interview in Morogoro. The two successful candidates were Mr John Richard and Mr Ezekiel Edward. As well as being high calibre and enthusiastic students, they provide strong links to partner institutions TAFORI and SUA. The TBA ran a week long course on proposal writing in Morogoro in August. Further contribution to the training component of the project was made by NERC in supporting a three-year PhD student, Mr Wayne Dawson, whose thesis will be closely allied to the aims of the Darwin project. Mr Dawson participated in the month long TBA Tropical Ecology field course in Amani, East Usambara Mts during September in which both the UK partners participated. The course had a major emphasis on biological invasions and training was given to an additional three Tanzanian students as well as 20 international students. September saw further meetings between the UK partners and national partners. Formal links were established with the Amani Nature Reserve and approval was agreed for research to be undertaken by the PhD and MSc students in Amani. The three postgraduate students were briefed on the project and this was followed by a field visit highlighting the problem of plant invasions. More in depth training was given to the PhD student who initiated a two month fieldwork campaign. A further meeting was held with the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (Dr John Watkins). This major initiative is supporting conservation activities throughout the Eastern Arc does not as yet address biological invasion threats. However, again this was highlighted as a knowledge gap and plans were established to work together more closely.
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