Africa-Press – Tanzania. Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) Eastern Zone has embarked on improving tourism services in Vikindu Nature Forest Reserve located in Mkuranga district, Coast Region.
In an interview with ‘Daily News’ over the weekend, TFS Eastern Zone Manager Caroline Malundo that the office has been clearing nature trails, building toilets and buying tents for the tourists as part of the initiatives.
She further said the new development comes as the forest now sees an increasing number of tourists visiting the area, adding, “The forest reserve is among semi -urban forests in the country, located 17 kilometres from the Dar es Salaam City. Being close to the major City of Dar es Salaam, the forest which is one of the three forests that form Pugu Kazimzumbwi Forest Nature Reserve (others are Pugu and Kazimzumbwi) offers an ideal place for individuals who seek serenity in the wilderness.
“Apart from that, we are in the process of working with investors in developing tourism activities in this forest. We have already received requests from some stakeholders and so far the process is going on well.” Ms Malundo noted that one of priorities in the coming financial year would be to allocate funds for improving roads getting inside and around the forest.
There are a number of tourist attractions inside the forest, which include two natural dams, 65 types of natural trees species including Mkangazi, Mswe and Mzambarau, a wooden bridge measuring 52 meters and small animals like monkeys, blue monkeys, wild pigs, variety of birds and a large number of beautiful grasshoppers.
The forest was upgraded into a Nature Reserve in the year 2020. On his part, Mkuranga District Forest Conservator (DFC), Mr Charles Kuselya, said the number of tourists has been increasing since the forest was upgraded last year.
“The number of tourists visiting our site has been growing day after day. For instance in the three months of July, August and September this year, a total of 300 tourists visited our site, in October alone we received a total of 400 tourists.
This shows that more people are becoming interested in our forest and most of them being local tourists,” he pointed out.
Vikindu forest has an area of 1,690 hectares and is surrounded by seven villages of Mwandege, Kipala Mpakani, Mlamleni, Kisemvule, Luzando, Vikindu and Picha ya Ndege.
The forest was facing serious invasion acts in the previous years and that led to the destruction of its vegetation by a large extent. However, following intensive protection and conservation measures by TFS and its stakeholders, it has now returned to its former state.
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