HANANG CATCHMENT FOREST RESERVE

1. LOCATION: 4°25' - 4°35' -35°25' 
    4 Km from Katesh and 45 Km from Babati. Access is directly from Katesh on the Southern side and from Giting on the eastern side. The reserve covers an isolated volcanic peak with three summits rising from the barbaig plains with an altitudinal range of 1860 to 3418 m. The Soda lake of Balangida lies to the north west.


2. CLIMATE:
 Oceanic rainfall with continental temperatures. There may be some convectional rainfall from Lake Balangida and thunderstorm occur. Estimated rainfall : 750 - 1000 mm on the western side to 1200 - 1500 mm/year on the eastern side: 2000 mm/year at higher altitudes with a marked mist effect: condensation on the upper slopes creates a high water table on the lower slopes which supports forest by ground water, rainfall rather variable. Dry season: Jun - Oct. Estimated temperature: 20.5°C min ( Jul ).

3. VEGETATION:
Forest occurs between 1980 - 2780 m with montane and upper montane forest on the wetter southern, eastern and northern slopes, and dry  montane forest on the western slopes. The belt of the forest is broken by rock faces and grassland and thicket resulting from fires.
 Above the forest grassland and bush land occurs from 2011 - 2700 m. Above 2700 m upland moorland occurs. Landslips occurred on the westernside in heavy rain during 1990.
 Thicket at edge of forest, 2m tall with: Calpurnia aurea, Cussonia , Olea, chrysopylla, Veronica etc.                        

3.1 Montane forest:
 Camopy 15 - 20 m with trees: Ablizia gummifera, Casipourea malosana, Calodenum capenses, Catha spp, Cussonia spp, Ekerbergia spp, Fagaropsis spp, Ficus spp,
hagenia spp,, Mystroxylon, Nuxia, podocarpus, Prunus, Teclea simplicifolia.

3.2 Upper montane forest.
Canopy < 15m Trees include: Cassipourea malosana, Ilex mitits, Ocotea usambarensis, Prunus africana, Teclea hanangenis

3.3 Dry montane forest.
Canopy 15 - 20 m with the trees: Cassipourea malosana, catha edulis Juniperus procera, Olea chrysopphylla, Olinia rochetiana, Podocarpus, Shrebera. 

4. CATCHMENT VALUES:
The height of Hanang peak make it an important condenser in an otherwise arid area. Water is piped from the southern side to katesh, and a number of permanent springs exist on the north - east side which are channeled for irrigation. On the drier western side the spring are seasonal. 
The number of streams on the mountains varies with seasons and year, presumably in relation to the rather variable rainfall.

5. BIODIVERSITY:
The wide altitudinal range and range and rainfall gradient make the reserve comparatively rich in species of the area. It is potentially useful for timber species seed. A species of restricted distribution is Teclea hanagensis.

6. AMENITY:
Hanang forest reserve has a substantial potential for tourism where the remarkable scenery and vegetation could be exploited. Campsites are allocated outside and inside the reserve. Access from other tourist centres such as Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro would be seen over Mbulu highlands and through Babati.