The Minziro (Nature) Forest Reserve is a conservation area along the Kagera River in Bukoba district of northwestern Tanzania. It protects one of the largest forests in Tanzania, of a forest type that is unique in the country. It was gazetted in 1947 and is situated at an elevation of around . in fairly level terrain. The forest is continuous with the Malabigambo Forest over the nearby Uganda border. The largest part consists of ''

Baikiaea ''Baikiaea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. Species include: *'' Baikiaea fragrantissima'' *'' Baikiaea ghesquiereana'' *'' Baikiaea insignis'' *''Baikiaea plurijuga'' – Rhodesian-teak *'' Baikiaea robynsii' ...

''–'' Podocarpus'' seasonal swamp forests while the remainder is flooded acacia woodlands.

Wildlife

The Minziro Forest is similar to forests found in the Congo and Guinea, and consequently it contains flora and fauna that reach their eastern range limits here. Characteristic trees of swamp forests include ''

Afrocarpus dawei ''Afrocarpus dawei'' is a species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda. This species is a tree that grows in swampy forest habitat that ...

, Heywoodia lucens,

Mussaenda erythrophylla ''Mussaenda erythrophylla'', commonly known as Ashanti blood, red flag bush and tropical dogwood, is an evergreen West African shrub. The bracts of the shrub may have different shades, including red, rose, white, pale pink or some mixtures. '' ...

, Cassipourea ruwensorensis,

Citropsis articulata ''Citropsis articulata'', known commonly as the African cherry orange,Plant Gene Resources of CanadaTaxon: ''Citropsis articulata'' West African cherry orange, Uganda cherry orange, and locally as ''omuboro'', is a species of flowering plant in t ...

, Manilkara obvata,

Baikiaea insignis ''Baikiaea insignis'' is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae. ''Baikiaea insignis'' ranges through the Guineo-Congolian region into eastern Africa, from Senegal through Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, D ...

,'' and ''Uncaria africana''.Kamukala, G. L., and S. A. Crafter, eds. (1993). "Wetlands of Tanzania: Proceedings of a Seminar on the Wetlands of Tanzania, Morogoro, Tanzania, 27-29 November, 1991". Volume 10 of The IUCN Wetlands Programme. IUCN, 1993. 58 of the 245 bird species recorded in the reserve are not found outside Kagera in Tanzania, while 56 of these have only been seen in Minziro. In addition, more than 600 butterfly species are native here, surpassing any other forest in Africa.

Threats

The forest was formerly extensively logged for the valuable ''

'' trees, which are now scarce, with only small specimens remaining. Illegal logging is ongoing. Pastoralists have been entering the central grasslands illegally in search of grazing. They burn the grasslands which is detrimental to the over-wintering population of blue swallows, and also affects vegetation in the forest-grassland ecotone. In 2017 the Bukoba

magistrate's court A magistrates' court is a lower court where, in several jurisdictions, all criminal proceedings start. Also some civil matters may be dealt with here, such as family proceedings. Courts * Magistrates' court (England and Wales) * Magistrate's Cour ...

fined one trespassing pastoralist, and expressed dismay at the escalating damage to the environment.

References

{{reflist Bukoba Forest reserves of Tanzania Geography of Kagera Region Nature reserves in Tanzania Protected areas established in 1947 Victoria Basin forest–savanna mosaic Important Bird Areas of Tanzania