Tanzania
EDUCATION
Diploma in Forestry,
Olmotonyi Forestry Institute. (Tanzania)
B.S. in Zoology, Wildlife Ecology and Management,
University of Dar-es-Salaam. (Tanzania)
M.S. in Community Economic Development,
Southern New Hampshire University. (NH, USA)
TEACHING
- Environmental Policy and Socioeconomic Values, Tanzania. EE 302
- Community Wildlife Management, Tanzania. EE 350
- Directed Research, Tanzania. EE 492
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Member, Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (1995 - Present)
- Member, Arid Lands Information Network (Tanzania Chapter) 2007
- Chairperson, Advisory Board Arid Lands Information Network (Tanzania Chapter) and Maarifa Center (Shinyanga) (2008 - Present)
FACULTY PROFILE
Mr. John Mwamhanga joined the SFS at CWMS in 2010 as a Lecturer in Environmental Policy and Socioeconomic Values at Tanzania Center. Before joining SFS, he worked as Zonal Manager, Lake Zone Forest and Beekeeping Extension and Publicity Unit under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Shinyanga, Tanzania from 2007 to 2010. In this position he involved in sensitization, advocating and implementation of forestry and beekeeeping policies in the area with emphasis in Participatory Forest Management and Beekeeping developments.
He also served as Assistant Project Coordinator for Ugalla Community Conservation Project in Tabora and Rukwa regions, Western Tanzania from 1998 to 2003 in which successfuly managed to establish two pilot Wildlife Management Areas in Tanzania. The project was under Africare/Tanzania an American international NGO funded by USAID/Tanzania. From 2005 to 2006 he worked as an Instructor for Environmental policies and Forest laws at Olmotonyi Forestry Training Institute, Arusha Tanzania. Currently at CWMS (Tanzania) he is in charge of community relationship activities between the center and Tarangire Manyara Ecosystem community, and he is a Coordinator for the Directed Research course.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Mr. Mwamhanga research interests is centered on natural resources and adjacent people, especially on how natural resources can be used by rural people to alleviate poverty and improve their livelihood as the means to solicit community support in conservation. From 1987, he has worked in facilitating rural communities to conserve the natural resources and helping them obtain tangible benefits from it for their well-being in north and western areas of Tanzania. His Master’s research work was on evaluating the impacts of agroforestry project on local peoples’ livelihood in Karatu district Northern Tanzania.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
SFS Projects
In what ways does tourism enhance local community participation in wildlife conservation in Tarangire – Manyara Ecosystem?
The economy of Tarangire-Manyara is largely supported by their tourism industry. Tourists from around the world travel to see the area’s environmental and wildlife attractions. The concern of the study is that while benefits from tourism may look impressive, there is a need to know more about its impacts on conservation. Therefore, the study intends to analyze the economic, social and policy impacts from tourism on local people and their role in conservation. Through use of questionnaires information are being collected from Curio shops owners and employees, tour drivers, tourists, roadside sellers, lodges owners and employee and farmers. Qualitative descriptive and quantitative analyses are used in analyzing the data obtained. It is expected that linkages between tourism and community participation in wildlife conservation in the area will be identified and established.
Projects prior to SFS
Mr. Mwamhanga worked (in collaboration with local authorities) to enable the community around Lake Victoria in Northern Tanzania to establish economic projects based on sustainable natural resources management through joint forest management, community-based forest management and beekeeping projects. This program was funded by Tanzania Social Action Fund phase two (TASAF II). In this program, community institutions were strengthened and their capacity in resources management, forest resources assessment through participatory method and entrepreneurship skill were built. This enabled the community to have economic benefits from forests adjacent to them, and also improves the biological resources therein.
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS (last updated June 2011)
Presentations (Recent)
2009 Workshop Facilitator on “Natural Resources aspects in the preparation of Bunda District Five Years Development Vision at the Bunda District Development Forum”.
2009 ” ECOVIC Tanzania Chapter Stakeholders meeting” held at Isamo hotel, Mwanza – Tanzania.
Facilitator, 2009 Conducted an Environmental Assessment for Oljoro-Murriet-Losinyai villages (OLMULO) Water and Health Project, Arumeru District Arusha, Tanzania. Commissioned by SIMAVI, Netherlands.
2006 Team Leader, Environmental Impact Assessment exercise team for the proposed Nkoasenga Community Pipe Water Project. Arumeru district, Arusha - Tanzania.
2005 Carried out an Evaluation on Forestry Training Institute Olmotonyi, Wood Working Workshop project.
2005 Conducted a Market Survey for women groups in three villages of Longido, Monduli District Arusha Region regarding potential market of their products and identification of financial sources, commissioned by FAIDA Business Development Service Company Limited of Arusha.
2005 Participated in the preparation of Tanzania Association of Foresters (TAF) LogicalFramework document for its project “Improved Livelihood through Agroforestry Practices in Karatu and Makambako villages, Phase Two”
Mwamhanga J. 2005 Impacts Evaluation of Tanzania Association of Foresters` Karatu Agroforestry Project, Karatu District – Arusha, Tanzania.
M.Sc. Dissertation Southern New Hampshire University – USA Mwamhanga J.
2002 Ushirikishaji Jamii Kufuga nyuki Ugalla. Misitu ni Mali Newsletter Vol.VI No. 1- 2002.
