UFIOME CATCHMENT FOREST RESERVE
1. LOCATION 4°10' - 4°16' S 35°46'- 35°52'E
3Km from Babati. Acces is directly from Babati or from the
Babati to Galappo road which runs along the southern edge of the FR. The
reserve
covers a flat topped mountain to the east of Babati and north
of Haraa and Bereku FRs with an altitudinal range of 1310 to 2415 m on the peak
of
kwaraha. To the north and east are dry cultivated plains with
more hilly country in the south and west.
2. CLIMATE:
Oceanic rainfall with continental temperatures. Estimates
rainfall: 1000 - 1200 mm/year over forest: 750 - 1000 mm/year over woodland;
with
marked mist effect over forested areas and limited mist
efffect on woodland and thicked. Dry season: Jun - Oct. estimated
temperatures:
21°C max ( Nov), 16.5°C min ( Jul.).
3. VEGETATION:
The lower slopes are covered by dense secondary thicket and
scrub up to 1750 m with forest in the valleys and woodland on rocky soils. Stunted
woodland and open grassland occur in rocky areas with forest
clumps at higher altitudes. Dry montane forest cover the upper slopes above
1750m.
Fire and have played a role in modifying the vegetation of
the lower slopes.
3.1 Woodland and thicket:
Thicket 2 - 3 m tall the : Allophylus, Clausena,
Dadonea, Euclea, Grewia, Hoslundia, Phyllanthus, and trees 5 - 8 m tall with
Acacia, Combretum
molle, Croton macrostachyus, Dombeya rotundifolia,
Kigelia, Markhamia obtusifokia, Vitex. Riverine trees include Garcinia, Ficus,
Kiggelaria
africana, Rauvolfia caffra, Ziziphus. At 1500m
Brachystagia microphylla occurs with a more open woodland of 3m tall Acacia
karoo, Carrisa
edulis, Combretum molle, Dodonea, Dombeya
rotundifolia, Erythrina abyssinica, Faurea saligna, Hetermorpha, Osyris; and
tree clumps 5 - 8 m
tall with Bridelia micrantha, maesa, prunus, rhus.
3.2 Dry montane forest:
Canopy broken, much disturbed, 15 - 25 m tall
with Calpurnia aurea thickets. Trees include: Albizia gummifera, bersama
abyssinica, Calodendron
capense, Cassipourea malosana, Cath edulis,
Cordia abyssinica, Croton macrostachyus. Dispyros natalensis, Dombeya torrida,
Ekebergia,
Fagaropsis, Olea capensis, Olea chrysophylla,
Prunuss Rauvolfia caffra.
4. AMENITY:
The forest have suitable routes to the summit and an area
around the summit lake. Along the routes, campsites have already identified.
Babati
Township is bordering to the reserve on the west.
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