Uluguru Nature Forest Reserve is the forest with an area of 24,115.09 ha that form one of the component blocks of the Eastern Arc Mountains forests. It has vegetation cover that harbor endemic flora and fauna and considered as a globally important ecoregion and an endemic bird area. The forest harbors endemic bird species like Uluguru bushshrike that is endangered in IUCN red list. Also the forest is potential as one of the major source of water to Morogoro Municipal and Dar es Salaam city (the largest city in Tanzania) with more than 4 million people.

Before inception of interventions the area’s ecosystem was on the brink of collapse. Without action, the population of different species would have continued to decrease and people’s livelihood would have been negatively impacted.

Subsistence farming is the major economic activity to adjacent community, over past decades; the quality forest quality has been threatened by subsistence farming associated with slush and burn practices resulting to habitat and specie loss. Local community and authorities reported the decline of water and rains.

Forest clearing and forest fire has led to changes in overall ecosystem composition, including decline of endangered species like Uluguru bushshrike (Malacotus alius) and loss of forest cover.

ECOWICE has been working with the adjacent community to raise awareness, practice sustainable farming and environmental friendly income generating activities like mushroom farming and cinnamon farming. This have led to myriad changes in their habits resulting to recovery of the forest cover and improvement of specie population like that of Uluguru bush shrike.