Kimboza and Ruvu Forest Reserves (Ulugurus)
Tropical Forest Ecology
| Kimboza
Forest Reserve is located at the base of the Uluguru Mountains in
Eastern Tanzania. Once part of a large lowland forest it is now one of
the very few remnants that have survived widespread deforestation.
Despite its small size (4 km2), this unique forest contains a large number of endemic species of plants and animals. Over the past few decades Kimboza Forest has suffered from serious disturbances. Up to the late 1980s logging was the most important issue, but in recent decades the spread of the neotropical invasive tree Cedrela odorata and severe fires have become the main threats. Kirugo - the Kimboza-Ruvu Gorge Conservation Area In early 2019 a conservation initiative has been intiated to restore degraded and destroyed land adjacant to Kimboza Forest. Ultimately, it is hoped that this Conservation Area will be extended to form a corridor linking the two nearby Forest Reserves of Kimboza and Ruvu. Kirugo, the first four newletters of this conservation intiative have been produced. Kirugo 01 Kirugo 02 Kirugo 03 Kirugo 04 Current research Charles Kilawe (SUA, Morogoro) has been investigating the impact of the invasive tree Cedrela odorata on the critically endangered blue gecko Lygodactlyus williamsi. The vegetation of Kimboza and of the surrounding forest remnants has been investigated. A number of botanical collections have been made including the discovery of rare species. Thilachium macrophyllum, a species discovered in 1894 but not seen since, was found in the newly established conservation area. A small forest remnant to the North-East of Kimboza harbours two rare species, Isolona linearis never before recorded in the Ulugurus, and the as yet undescribed endemic shrub Thunbergia sp. nov 'kimboza'. The management of the Conservation Area A conservation area has been established over the past few years. It covers around 40 ha of land that is on the hills adjacent to the Kimboza Forest Reserve. It consists of a mixture of secondary forest, scrub, abandoned farmland and grassland vegetation. The key issues facing the conservation area are fire, the invasive neotropical tree Cedrela odorata and land restoration. Illegal pole harvesting is potentially a big issue but appears to be limited at the moment. Efforts are being made to reduce fire risk with firebreaks but that has so far been largely unsuccessful. The control of Cedrela odorata has been carried out over the past year and after much effort has been successful. Some degraded areas have been cleared and planted with local species grown in a newly established nursery. The plant guide The writing of a plant guide for the Kimboza-Ruvu region has been initiated and includes the description of endemic species including: Baphia pauloi, Coffea kimbozensis, Cola kimbozensis, Cola quentinii, Impatiens cinnabarina, Lingelsheimia sylvestris, Solanum ruvu, Streptocarpus kimbozanus, Turraea kimbosensis, Vitex morogoroensis. To-date the plant guide contains species profiles for about 80% of the 500 or so plant species thought to occur in the Kimboza-Ruvu region.The resource will be updated on an irregular basis as additions and corrections are made. It is available as follows:
A number of trails have been set up and include natural history, historical, landscape and walking trails. Some are purely aimed at tourists whereas others target keen natural historians and students. The ecological trail is aimed at the latter group The ecological trail is readily accessible from the mission and the camp site. It is a loope into the forest and is no more than a km long. The hill trail takes you to the top of the hill overlooking Kimboza forest. Its main features are: landscape views, land-use history and notable plants. The information relating to these two trail can be downloaded onto a smart phone or a tablet so that the pdf file can be read in the field. One of the two field assistants can take you to the various spots of interest. The two locals, Bilali Mhulo and Jabiri Amiru, do not speak English but are familiar with the forest and can point out to you what you are looking at. To get hold of them ask the forest guard or at the mission cafe. Biological information related to Kimbosa Forest Kimbosa has been visited by numerous biologists for over a century. In the early 1980s a large survey was undertaken that provides the background knowledge to current research. This obscure report deserves wider circulation and has been scanned and is now available as a searchable PDF: Rodgers, W.A., Hall, J.B., Mwasumbi, L.B., Griffiths, C.J. & Vollesen, K. (1983) The conservation values and status of Kimboza Forest Reserve, Tanzania. University of Dar es Salaam. (note that the document can be searched but errors occur frequently). All information that is electronically available has been gathered and is available from Charles Kilawe: ckilawe@sua.ac.tz Unique biodiversity One example of the unique and poorly known biodiversity of Kimboza-Ruvu region is Cola kimbozensis Cheek. This species has only been recorded four times and its fruit has never been collected. The image below is the first photographic record of a fruiting twig.  |
 Charles Kilawe standing next to an Amorphophallus stuhlmannii growing in an area of massive limestone pinnacles. The large leaf tree in the background and leaves in lower foreground is a Pandanus rabaiensis the sole habitat of the endemic blue gecko Lygodactlyus wiliamsi.  |
Camping at Kimboza There is a campsite at Kimboza adjacent to the forest and next to the road. It has basic facilities including a toilet and a shower. Local food and very basic supplies are available from the Mission across the road. A number of trails leading visitors to a variety of ecological, cultural and landscape features have been set up. How to get there: there are regular buses from Morogoro to Matombo and ask to be dropped off at Kimboza.  |
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