Non-timber Forest Product Services

The forests and woodlands of the Eastern Arc provide a number of non-timber products, such as, building poles, firewood, medicines, charcoal, which are of critical importance to the livelihoods of the people living in and around the region. This module focuses on identifying, quantifying, and estimating the value of these products.

Extensive household surveys will be conducted across the region to ascertain current levels of NTFP harvesting and the value of these products. This work is being conducted by Sokoine University of Agriculture, University of Dar es Salaam, Cambridge University and University of East Anglia.

In addition, through collaboration with York University KITE programme, a database of 'disturbance transects' has been assembled which will help in understanding the extent of non-timber harvesting. Student projects at Cambridge University have also begun the process of collating the existing data on NTFP use and market prices in the Eastern Arc, ready for preliminary analyses.