Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
12. Ruaha River, Iringa and Morogoro Regions.
Narrow fringing riverine gallery forest, increasingly
fragmented. NO STATUS. Varied composition.
Dio-
spy ros, Milicia, Parkia, Teminalia, Fius,
etc. Past
migratory pathway for birds, colobines, etc. Better
patches urgently need protection.
13. Rau FR, Kilimanjaro Region. 6 km
2
but <l km
2
good forest. Groundwater forest, main locality for giant
leguminous tree
Oxystigma msoo
(Rodgers, 1983). Very
heavily disturbed; despite TFAP call for better status,
no action yet taken.
(IUCN, 1987). Endemic poplar. Growing pressure
from villages, pastoralists, and upstream hydro-
schemes (Hughes, 1984). Site for massive World Bank
conservation project, proposed under GEF (Global
Environment Facility).
Montane and Plateau Communiies
A) Eastn Arc block mountains, Kenya
1.Taita Hills, Coast Region. NO STATUS. <3 km
2
closed forest. Biologically extremely rich, with high
density of endemic plant, reptile and bird species.
Forest to 2228 m
a.s.l.,Albizia, Cola, Macaranga (Ocotea
and Podocarpus
mainly cut out),
Strombosia
commu-
nities. 14 plant endemics including
Coffea, Saintpaulia.
4 bird endemics. A priority for improved status
(Beentje, 1990).
2. Kasigau FR, Coast Region. Isolated mountain
forest, <2 km
2
, to 1450 m as!.
Newtonia
forest, endemic
Psych otria taitensis.
(Similar to nearby Ngulia Hills in
Tsavo NP, site of recent discovery of new
Podocarpus
sp.)
(C) Mainland, Kenya
1.Arabuko-Sokoke Nature Reserve and FR, Coast
Province. 417 km
2
of FR,
3
3 km
2
NR. Probable
National Park site, but borders are controversial.
Largest coastal forest area.
Ae elia, Brachylaena, Bra-
chystegia, Manilkara,
etc. Very important avifaunal
locality, with many endemics, e.g. Sokoke owl (Collar
&
Stuart, 1985). Rare mammals, e.g. golden-backed
elephant shrew.
2. Boni FR, Coast Province. 183 km
2
woodland and
forest.
Ae elia, Diospyros, Oldfieldia,
etc. More survey
needed.
3. Kayas, the Sacred Groves of Coast Province.
Scattered relict forest patches from Chale Island to
Kaurna near Kilifi. Groves protected by tribal tradi-
ions. Many areas on limestone are botanically rich,
with some endemics. Community dominated by
Cy n-
ometra, Gy rocarpus, Milicia, Sterculia,
etc. (Hawthorne,
1984; Robertson, 1984). Target of a major study
consevation initiative of The National Museums of
Kenya, the Kayas may become a National Heritage
Site.
4. Diani, Jadini, Chale Point Coral Rag Forest
Thickets, Coast Province. Tiny fragmented patches.
NO STATUS. Adder's duiker at Chale Point. Plant
endemics.
5.
Shimba Hills NR and FR, Coast Province. 20
km
2
of forest patches in 200 km
2
woodland. Botanical
interest; logging, plantation and tourism (around wood-
land wildlife interests, e.g. sable) disturbances.
6.
Mrima Hill FR, Coast Province. <4 km
2
forest.
Floristically disinctive,
Antiaris, Newtonia, Sterculia,
with endemics, e.g. two
Uv ariodendron
spp. Needs
greater protection. Lucas, 1968.
7. Taveta Forest, Coast Province. NO STATUS.
Tiny, <3 km
2
, patches of groundwater forest,
Albizia,
Diospyros, Milicia,
etc.
8. Tana River Forests, Coast Province. Part Game
Reserve, part FR. Groundwater forest on dynamic
floodplain and delta. Primate values, two endemics
(B) Easten Arc block mountains, Kenya
1. Pare Mountains, Kilimanjaro Region. Few small
FRs, mostly on south Pare Mts, closed montane forest
from 1700 to 2300 m a.s.1. Poorly documented, but
thought to be of minor conservation interest. The gap
between the Pares and Mt Kilimanjaro is the barrier
between a southen and northen migratory element of
the eastern Africa forest fauna.
2. East and West Usambara Mountains, Tanga
Region. Several separate FRs, both large and small.
The most important forest areas for conservaion in
East Africa, also of major catchment significance.
Values summarised in Rodgers
&
Homewood, 1982a;
Hamilton
&
Bensted-Smith, 1990. Recent detailed
orest descripion is in Iversen, 199 l. The East
Usambaras are wetter with forest from <300 to 1000 m
as!,
Ocotea, Cephalosphaera.
The West Usambaras are
drier with more montane communities from 1000 to
2600 m as!. Forest communities are varied, internally
diverse and with exceptional levels of generic and
species endemism. There are several bird species of
conservation concern. The increasing fragmentation
and loss of continuity in forest cover is of great worry,
as are the growing pressures from human settlements,
tea and coffee estates, legal and illegal felling, etc. The
area desperately needs higher conservation status than
FR.
3. Nguru and Ukaguru Mountains, Tanga and
Morogoro Regions. Separate FRs on wetter east-
facing and drier west-facing slopes. Most at higher
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