Njombe forests (7024)
Tanzania, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2011

National site name: Njombe forests

Central coordinates: Latitude: -9.4130, Longitude: 34.8450

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1850 to 2050

Area of KBA (km²): 1.84769

Protected area coverage (%): 99.88

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The highlands around the town of Njombe were originally grasslands, much of which have now been converted to agriculture. South and south-west of Njombe the land is more rugged, with rolling hills cut by deep valleys. Here, there are a few remaining small patches of isolated forest. Of the 14 Forest Reserves listed for Njombe District, it only proved possible to trace any information for four, of which one is a plantation and a second scheduled for timber production. The other two are Litoni (200 ha) and Mpala (69 ha). In addition, there are four forest patches, each less than 100 ha, shown on the map to the south and east of Uwemba while there is some privately-owned forest near the village of Nundu. These forests comprise the provisional extent of this IBA. Surveys are required to identify remaining forest patches and define site boundaries.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the process of compiling the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the East Afromontane Hotspot. Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2010-4. The site holds a significant population of the following plant species which, although not yet Red-List-assessed at the global level, are thought likely to be categorised as globally threatened once assessed (thus meeting the KBA Vulnerability criterion), based on existing regional or national Red List assessments (species also considered as site-endemic are tagged with Irr1 [KBA Irreplaceability 1 criterion]): Bidens odora (Irr1), Crotalaria poecilantha, Crotalaria ukingensis (Irr1), Eriosema chrysadenium, Gutenbergia fruticosa, Kleinia patriciae, Lopholaena ussanguensis (Irr1), Monadenium globosum (Irr1), Thalictrum stolzii, Thalictrum zernyi, Trifolium ukingense, Trifolium wentzelianum.

Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Little is known about the birdlife of this area. Hirundo atrocaerulea was considered locally common in the past, but is now much rarer due, in large part, to cultivation of grassland habitats. The type-locality for Sheppardia lowei is ‘Njombe forest’, which is thought most likely to be Mpala Forest Reserve. Other notable species recorded in or around these forests are Microparra capensis, Falco amurensis and Onychognathus tenuirostris. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.

Delineation rationale: 2013-07-10 (BL Secretariat): following CEPF East Afromontane ecosystem profiling process, the reported IBA area of 669 ha has been changed to 180 ha (as measured in GIS from latest boundary polygon, rounded to nearest 10%).

Habitats

Land use: forestry | water management

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Forest clearance for agriculture, burning and cultivation of steep valley slopes all pose a threat to remaining forest. Efforts to improve the quality and sustainability of the agricultural enterprises of the local population are required to prevent further forest loss on these mountains. A survey of all designated Forest Reserves and other forest patches is required to determine their biodiversity values and status.

Additional information