Eastern Arc forests

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Eastern Arc forests

The Eastern Arc forests are a group of high, wet forests in eastern Africa, mainly in Kenya and Tanzania. They cover about 23,800 square kilometers in several mountain blocks that curve from the Kenya–Tanzania border through central Tanzania to the Udzungwa Mountains.

These forests sit above 800 meters and include upper montane, lower montane, and submontane zones, with some high-elevation grassland, heath, and bamboo areas. The southeastern slopes receive more moisture, creating transitional forests that resemble the coastal forests of the east and connect to the Northern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic. To the southwest, the Makambako Gap separates these forests from nearby montane forests in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands.

The Eastern Arc is very biodiverse, with more than 800 plant species. It is the original home of the African violet (Saintpaulia) and the Busy Lizzie (Impatiens). The area hosts many endemic birds and other unique reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Because these hills are isolated, they are important for studying evolution.

Many of the forests have been cleared by farming, especially on the lower slopes. About 20% of the region is protected. The largest protected area is Udzungwa Mountains National Park, with others including Mkomazi National Park, Amani Nature Reserve, Uluguru Nature Reserve, and several reserves around reservoirs.

Conservation status: Critically endangered.