Dauson Msumange | Motivation (Repost)
By Dauson Msumange, BSC.ENC
My name is Dauson Msumange, and I am from Tanzania, East Africa. I was born from a very poor family, but after some struggle I successfully obtained a bachelor’s degree. The major income generating activities of my family and neighboring communities are subsistence crop farming, animal husbandry, charcoal burning and small-scale fishing. During holidays, I used to move outside village areas looking for pasture to feed cattle. There, I interacted with nature and was inspired by naturally growing fruit trees (Uapaca kirkiana and figs), wild animals (hares & long-tailed meadowlark leistes loyca –farm birds) and water streams which are currently disappearing.
Conservation education was rare to the majority of community members, which was an influential factor for me to study Geography, Chemistry and Biology in my secondary education. To get further skills and experience in conservation as well as sustainability principles, I received a Bachelor of Science in Ecotourism and Nature Conservation at University level, specializing in natural resources conservation.
Minerals, water and biodiversity resources are haphazardly exploited for income generating activities and land clearance for settlement as compounded by drastic increase in population growth. While some fauna species are under threat due to habitat fragmentation and human intervention in eco-corridors that exacerbated human-wildlife conflict[1], indigenous tree species are being replaced by fast growing alien species (eg. Black wattles) to meet the demands for poles, timber, charcoal and firewood in Tanzania.
