Student Contributions to Understanding Conservation and Community on Mount Kilimanjaro

Abstract

University students participated in a research project on communities and conservation on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Students contributed by gathering data with various methods that will be compiled in a GIS. Living in three villages at different elevations on the mountain, students facilitated GPS mapping, a random survey of over 90 households, and recording of observations and interviews with the people of these villages. While the inclusion of students in the research project brought greater logistical demands, their participation allowed quick collection of data on a broad scale, more intimate knowledge of the three villages and the communities in them, and provided a valuable learning experience for the students with opportunities to develop and carry-out a research project in an international setting.

Key Words:

• GIS
• GPS
• community conservation
• protected area
• KINAPA (Kilimanjaro National Park and Forest Reserve)