TOURISM plays a very important role both in the economy and people’s welfare. Available data show that the sector contributes more than 17 percent of the nation’s income.
Reports state that tourism sector leads in earning the country’s foreign exchange 25 per cent; creating a total of 500,000 direct employments while 2,000,000 individuals continue to benefit from tourism business in one way or another.
Lake Duluti Forest Reserve in Arumeru District, Arusha region is one of great tourist attractions in the country.
The 154 acres Crater Lake was formed as a result of volcanic activities that caused breaking of earth crust and sinking part of the formerly volcanic hill below water table, resulting in the lake.
It has the deepest point of 700 metres, with its water appearing green in colour due to the reflection of trees and other vegetation which surround it.
There are no streams which bring water into the lake; instead it receives water from underground flows. The lake is surrounded by 19 hectares of a beautiful, rich sub mountain forest which hosts about 53 species of trees.
It rims around the lake hence acting as a protective shield against erosion and siltation, offering a more eye catching scenery.
Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) has been implementing conservation projects to protect the lake and the forest which surrounds it.
TFS Northern Zone Manager Mr Cuthbert Mafupa says that his office has been concentrating on conserving the Forest and at the same time improving environment for tourism.
“TFS has been directing efforts in implementing conservation projects in this area and at the same time working to improve tourism activities while maintaining good relationship with the surrounding communities,” he says.
Ms Dinah Omondi, Principal Forest Assistant for Arusha and Arumeru districts points out that awareness on environment conservation has been carried out to the villagers, in collaborations with the District Council.
“We have been working with the District Council and other stakeholders in educating the villagers on the importance of taking care of this area which is very important in a number of ways,” she says.
She points out that before serious awareness programmes started, incidences of the villagers entering the forest to cut trees for firewood and grass for their animals were very common, but have now been reduced into a large extent.
On the other hand, she says, villagers from Patandi, which is one of the three villages which surround the reserve, are being involved in participatory patrolling.
As a way of motivation, the villagers get 2 US out of 10 dollars for each tourist who visits the place. The other 10 dollars remain to the government.
However, she admits that involving the villagers has not been easy since some of them have great expectations from the project, that they would be receiving big amounts.
A villager from Patandi Mr Nathanael Kaaya too admits that in the past, villagers used to graze their animals in the forest, but after receiving awareness education they have stopped.
“In those days it was common to see people grazing around the forest but these acts have stopped after TFS conducted sessions of awareness programmes to us,” he said.
He says that the lake is useful to the villagers in many ways one being supplying them with water especially during water scarcity, and in that case, the villagers must take part in conserving it.
The villagers are also being involved in participatory patrolling. As a way of motivation, the villagers get 2 US dollars for each tourist who visits the place. Each tourist is charged 12 US dollars to get into the forest.
The other 10 dollars remain to the government. The area is real rich with amazing floating island of Cyprus papyrus plants, which keep moving around the lake from time to time.
There are several types of animals like Colobus monkeys, Blue Monkeys and other small animals like Mountain galagos and dik dik and about 50 different types of birds like Crossed Beak Weaver, Bishop Weaver, Grey African Fish Eagle and others. At the Lake, among other things one can also learn more on habits of migrating birds like White Chest Cormorant.
“These birds leave here in April each year for breeding purposes and come back after four months (in August) with their young ones,” he says.
Flamingos in large number from Lake Natron and Lake Momela pay visit to the Lake from August to March every year for swimming and relaxing.
“The reason why those birds come here is that they are seeking to relax in fresh water since the water in those lakes is saline,” he says adding that in other months they appear at the lake but not in small number.
The place is also good for canoeing activities and fishing sports since the water has low currents. There are also good viewing points where one can see Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro.
According to TFS Northern Zone Manager Mr Cuthbert Mafupa plans are underway to improve tourism activities at Reserve. “The reserve is one of the areas where TFS Task Force is working to improve tourism activities by using Investment Policy. We are sure that, number of tourists will increase even more when the place is improved,” he says.
Mr Mafupa goes on to mention that at the time being, the villagers from three villages surrounding the reserve which are Patandi, Nambala and Nguruma have been allowed to bring their cultural items to sell to the tourists, as another way of benefitting from the presence of the reserve.
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