Dear Sir
Thank you for your Bulletin Issue No 21 of July 1985. At page 11 you discuss an interesting topic “African Violet Threatened with Extinction”. Our Dean of Forestry has studied the article and comments as follows:
“… The plant is available in Mazumbai Forest which is fully protected. However, there is no direct effort to propagate it there or elsewhere. I take note of the article and will follow up on my next visit to Mazumbai”.

The Mazumbai Forest belongs to this University (by decision of the two University Councils – in Dar es Salaam and at Sokoine) and is preserved for scientific research.
TWICO or any other parastatal will not be allowed to establish a saw mill there.

A short description of the University owned Mazumbai Forest is attached.
Prof G R V Mmari
Vice-Chancellor, Sokoine University of Agriculture

Extracts from the description of the Mazumbai Forest by Dr A B Temu Acting Dean of the Faculty of Forestry:

The Mazumbai Forest Reserve was initially property of one Mr John Tanner, a Swiss farmer who settled in the Usambara Mountains. In 1968, he decided to give this well preserved forest of about 320 ha to the University of Dar es Salaam, for conservation and for scientific studies. An informal committee was formed to coordinate research in the forest. Most of the work was done by individuals who were all expatriate staff (Dr B Harris, Professor P Temple, Dr I Jackson and Dr I Walker). Following their departure from the country in the early seventies, interest in Mazumbai Forest Reserve was considerably reduced.

In July 1973, professional forestry education was introduced at Morogoro, and following this, interest in the forest was revived. In a letter of 3/5/74 a request was made that the then Division of Forestry at Morogoro be made responsible for the administration and coordination of all aspects of the forest. On 12/5/74, Mr J Tanner endorsed the idea. On 16/5/74 the University of Dar es Salaam formally endorsed the proposal. Since 16/5/74, the Mazumbai Research Committee has held meetings under the Chairmanship of the Head of the Division of Forestry, to discuss the condition of the forest, propose management action and consider and approve research projects in the forest.

The forest is managed as a conservation and research unit. The Division of Forestry has maintained one permanent worker plus five temporary employees there. These workers survey the forest every day to ward off encroachers in order to maintain the flora and fauna of the reserve. At the moment, there is an agreement between the leadership of the Mngwashi ward and the Division of Forestry in which the villages involved take the joint responsibility of ensuring that any of their inhabitants gets heavy penalty if found encroaching on the property. This arrangement has worked very well.

The Forest has attracted scientists, interested in forestry, nature, and soil and water conservation. International organisations have taken interest in sponsoring research projects there, and the house has always served as a solid base for researchers. Currently, the biggest research project is sponsored by SAREC (SIDA) and it involves all the forest reserves in the Usambara Mountains. The theme is to map the hydrology of the mountain rain forests. There are other botanical and zoological research projects, also very important for the overall documentation of the nature of the nature of the reserve.