This Zanzibar National Forest Policy is a comprehensive document aiming to protect, conserve, and develop forest resources for the social, economic, and environmental benefit of current and future generations. A key strength of the Policy is its integration with other sectors, including fisheries, tourism, land, water, and local administration, fostering collaboration and productivity among these groups. The overall goal of the Plan is to enhance the national forest resource base and its contribution to local economic development without compromising the natural environment. For implementation, the Plan has been separated into three major programs (1) capacity development, to enhance the forest sector's capacity and improve the delivery of products and services by at least 50%. To achieve this, the strategy includes diversifying funding sources through needs assessments, revenue diversification, and advocacy for cost-sharing arrangements. Key activities involve improving working facilities, investing in equipment and infrastructure, and increasing annual investments in forest programs by 10%. Public-private partnerships will be encouraged through feasibility studies, legal framework updates, and promotion of forest service payments. Communication will be improved by establishing baseline data, enhancing ICT use, and fostering collaboration. Research will be driven by assessing needs, implementing research programs, and increasing funding, with an annual 10% increase in the number and quality of forestry-related research. Human resources will be developed by assessing training needs, implementing programs, and increasing the number of professionals by 5% by 2015; (2) biodiversity and integrated conservation, to ensure that all forest-protected areas are sustainably managed and increase their contribution to community livelihoods by 10%. Objectives include (i) Protected areas, to ensure all forest-protected areas are sustainably managed and enhance their contribution to local livelihoods by 10%. Key objectives include the effective functioning of the protected areas system by 2012, the protection of key species and reduction of invasive species by 2020, and the development of ecotourism opportunities by 2015. Additionally, the plan focuses on incorporating non-consumptive community rights, improving local livelihoods through buffer systems, and promoting sustainable harvesting and alternative energy sources; (ii) Mangroves, to achieve effective and sustainable management of at least half of its mangrove ecosystems through enhancing regeneration efforts, strengthening community management, reducing wood demand, and integrating mangrove conservation into coastal zone management; (iii) Wild animals, to improve the management of wild animals and their habitats, stabilizing the population of each flagship species, through recovery programs, reduced hunting incidents, and effective vermin control; (3) sustainable production and utilization to meet the market demand and efficient utilization of forest products, including non-wood, and a particular attention to farm forestry which is mainly practiced for food security, supply of building materials, woodfuel and commercial cropping.
(جمهوريّة تنزانيا المتحدة،) زنجبار · 2008-01-01