Lake Manyara’s landscape is a showcase of forest greens and scenic shores. However, within these surrounds there has been a marked increase of alien bushy and woody vegetation, unpalatable to local wildlife, which is a growing cause for concern.
Sectors of land close to &Beyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge were historically farmlands with large plantations. This disturbance of the natural habitat has made these areas especially prone to the spread of invasive species.
Currently, it is estimated that this bush encroachment now occupies 24% of the park area below the rift wall, reducing the foraging range of wildlife. In the past, some of these areas were open plains known as Mahali Pa Nyati, Swahili for the ‘place of the buffalo’; grazing areas for herbivores such as wildebeest, zebra and buffalo.
This Lake Manyara National Park project is a full collaboration between Wild Impact, &Beyond and the Tanzania National Park Authority (TANAPA).
Project objectives:
- Restoring wildlife ranges and wildlife by clearing this bush encroachment and growing back indigenous grasslands which once populated this ecosystem
- Connecting the fragmented wildlife corridors within the Lake Manyara ecosystem through this bush clearance, bringing back migrating species such as wildebeest and zebra
- Our June 2025 target is the clearance of 404.2 Hectares (998.7 acres)
- In those areas cleared to date, a high visibility of wildlife has returned, including antelopes, elephants and lion.
- Indigenous fauna species are very evident, with increasing food abundance.