Assessment of plant species composition and natural regeneration in abandoned settlements in the lower montane forest of Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania

Abandoned settlements within Kilimanjaro National Park show significant potential for natural forest regeneration, driven by resilient plant species such as Vernonia lasiopus and Bothriocline longipes. These species play a crucial role in restoring microclimate conditions and soil fertility, essential for forest recovery. The study, conducted across four zones—former settlement, former cultivation, transition, and natural forest—revealed that while tree species richness was highest in the natural forest (11 ± 1 per plot), anthropogenically impacted areas exhibited early-stage succession with adequate regeneration patterns. Passive management by the park appears to facilitate this recovery, highlighting the high resilience of montane forests post-disturbance. The findings underscore the importance of monitoring future ecological succession and the effectiveness of conservation strategies in such sensitive ecosystems.

Kikoti, I. A., Mligo, C., & Ndangalasi, H. J. (2022). Assessment of plant species composition and natural regeneration in abandoned settlements in the lower montane forest of Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania. Southern Forests: A Journal of Forest Science, 84(1), 60–69. https://doi.org/10.2989/20702620.2021.2019563