Indigenous knowledge in forest conservation, species diversity and stocking potential: A historical perspectives of northwest Tanzania

The study evaluated the current status (i.e., species diversity, regeneration, and productivity) of the community forests conserved under indigenous knowledge known as Ngitili of northwest Tanzania. We conducted a field study in 10 community forests using phytosociological approaches. Quantitative data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA, while the differences between mean was checked by LSD at p < 0.05 using SPSS software. Results indicated that, out of 10 surveyed community forests, 4 were highly threatened (40 %), 5 were highly disturbed (51 %), while 1 (9 %) was converted to other land use. A total of 66 plant species belonging to 54 genera and 27 families were recorded. Biomass production varied significantly between plants (p < 0.001). Lack of environmental education and anthropogenic activities pose a great challenge among community forests. Therefore, appropriate management interventions are highly required to rectify the situation for the sustainability of these forests.