Forest Reserves

The forests of the Tanzania are among the most important for biodiversity conservation in Africa. They are also home to communities of poor people who need to use natural resources to survive.

Tanzania’s ancient forests and other natural features are among the core of the country’s attraction for tourists. Carefully managed development of forest-based tourism will ensure the economic and commercial benefits of Tanzania’s unique forest environment are realised, while conservation values are protected.

The Tanzania Forest Service (TFS) has been given the mandate for the management of national forest reserves (natural and plantations), bee reserves and forest and bee resources on general lands. TFS as an Executive Agency will enhance the management and conservation of forest and bee resources for sustainable supply of quality forest and bee products and services. The Forest and Beekeeping Division will remain with the responsibilities of development of the forest policy, laws and regulations and overseeing their implementation in the sector.

The TFS was established to enhance the management and conservation of forest and bee resources. This includes scaling up management activities related to mapping and demarcating forest reserves and improving protection capacity of local forest managers; increasing production capacity of plantations, which will also address national wood fuel energy needs; and improve capacity to record and and capture the value of the forest and beekeeping sector to the GDP.