Assessment of the Amphibian Species Diversity, Population Status and Trends within the Forest Fragments of the Taita Hills, Kenya
Survey and consolidate information on amphibian populations, their range, and abundance within the forest fragments comprising the Taita Hills and Mount Kasigau as a barometer of environmental health.  Working thorough local counterparts, this project will train local field assistants with a view to developing a sustainable long-term monitoring program.

Biodiversity Research and Awareness in the Lesser Known Eastern Arc Mountains: Mahenge, Rubeho, Ukaguru, and Nguru
Inventory the fauna and flora of the lesser-known sites and make these data available to all parties working to improve biological knowledge and forest management.  Methods will be consistent with the other CEPF-supported biological surveys to enable direct comparison between sites.  Data collected will feed into the National Biodiversity Database and Red List processes.

Malundwe’s Afromontane Forest and River Catchments: Discovery and Capacity Building
Describe and map the fauna and flora of Mount Malundwe located within Mikumu National Park to improve the management of the important forest habitats within the protected area.

Conservation of Indigenous Forest and Endemic Species on Pemba Island
Expand the achievements of the Pemba flying fox Pteropus voeltzkowi project through community forest conservation initiatives around Ngezi-Vumawimbi Nature Forest Reserve and Msitu Kuu forest.  In addition, strive to eradicate the invasive umbrella tree (Maesopsis eminii) that threatens the integrity of these indigenous forest fragments.

Trends in the Health of Selected Forests in the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forest
Re-measure a series of forests plots five years after they were established in priority areas throughout the region to assess the trends in forest health. These data will provide a solid indication of the impacts that specific levels of threat have on the forests to assist with forest management.

Small Mammal Studies in Three Important Eastern Arc Mountains Sites for the Creation of Innovative Educational, Scientific, and Conservation Tools
Survey small mammal species (shrews, bats, and rodents) in three lesser-known sites - North Pare, Rubeho, and Malundwe Mountains - to fill a gap in current level of knowledge. Bilingual education materials, based upon the findings of these surveys, will serve to improve the local appreciation of these often overlooked species.

Making Data Available on the Species and Sites of the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forest Hotspot in Tanzania
Develop the Tanzanian National Biodiversity Database to include all existing specimens as well as incorporating site and species records from biodiversity surveys. These data will be available to identify gaps in knowledge as well as enhance the monitoring of conservation investments through the conservation outcomes database of Red List species.    

Ethnobotanical Knowledge for Adaptive Collaborative Management at Mt. Kasigau, Kenya
Compile indigenous knowledge of plant resources around Mount Kasigau including the traditional uses, values, economic benefits, and pressures on particular plant species with a view to developing methods to sustainably manage these resources.

Filling the Knowledge Gap: Surveys of Poorly Known Sites and Species in the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests
Understand the vertebrate biodiversity of three isolated, lesser-known sites Rubeho (within Dodoma Region), Udzungwa and North Pare Mountains. In addition, on a wider geographical scope, complete species-specific surveys of Endangered nocturnal and diurnal primates, duikers, elephant-shrews, hyraxes, amphibians, and reptiles in Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains.

Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring of the Insect Fauna in the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests Using Ground-Dwelling Ants and Beetles as Indicator Groups
Complete a thorough field sample program across the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya to assess the composition and abundance of these important invertebrate groups. This will provide baseline data for future monitoring as well as contribute to the red listing of these often-neglected groups. 

Plant Conservation Assessment in the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests Mosaic of Kenya and Tanzania
Survey important sites and species with limited distributions to update the conservation status of forest plants and broaden the network of East African plant specialists.  Species new to science will be published and type specimens deposited in collections as well as being available online through the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Web site. This information will contribute to the Red Listing of plant species.

The Forgotten Coastal Forests of Mtwara: A Reconnaissance to Prioritize Biological Knowledge for Community Conservation Initiatives
Undertake biological inventories of major taxa in select forests in Mtwara region, a largely neglected part of southern Tanzania’s coast.  These data will contribute to assessments of the conservation status of these species and will be translated into Kiswahili for the benefit of local communities and administrators managing these forests.

Overview of Butterfly Faunas of Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests: Biodiversity, Endemism, Conservation
Collate existing data on all butterfly species, especially endemic butterfly species, throughout the region from existing collections (the grant recipient has the largest collection of African butterflies in existence), as well as identify gaps in the current knowledge and undertake field surveys to provide a complete a record.

Documenting Four Thematic Issues of the Journal of East African Natural History
Provide a natural home for peer-reviewed papers, research findings, and short notes in the field of natural history that contribute to knowledge, status, and conservation within the region. In addition, all relevant papers published in the journal since 1910 will be made available for open access as portable document format files on the Web.

Assessment of the Conservation Status of the Newly Discovered Mangabey Rungwecebus kipunji in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania
Contribute to the Red List assessment of this newly discovered primate in the Udzungwa Mountains by undertaking surveys of the range, abundance and ecological data in wet and dry seasons. These data will serve to recommend appropriate conservation actions. In addition, a Tanzanian graduate ecologist and local fieldworkers will be trained in primate survey techniques.

Coordination, Facilitation and Dissemination of Research Works within the Critical Ecosystem Priority Sites, Tanzania
Facilitate researchers in obtaining research permits and in conducting research to ensure that the information generated will be disseminated to the relevant government departments and community-based organizations.

Field Guide to the Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania
Publish the completed text of a Field Guide to Moist Forest Trees of Tanzania.

Conservation Ecology of the Endangered Endemic Sanje Mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei) of the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania
Complete a study that will define, for the first time, the ecological requirements, behavior and demographics of the Sanje mangabey Cercocebus sanji in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. These data are vital in determining the conservation needs of this highly endangered endemic primate.

Preventing Unsustainable Timber Trade from the Coastal Forests of Southeast Tanzania Following Completion of the Mkapa Bridge
Build on existing baseline research about threats to coastal forests from illegal timber extraction in this hotspot, which has increased due to completing the Mkapa Bridge over the Rufiji River in southeast Tanzania and improved infrastructure. TRAFFIC will undertake a rapid assessment of the threats to these forests and define conservation action needed.

“Scientific Advisor” for the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya Hotspot
Providing up-to-date advice on the research priorities within the hotspot the scientific advisor will also ensure that data are collected in a standard and comparable manner, thus ensuring that a cohesive set of research projects are implemented throughout the hotspot.

Managing CEPF’s Outcomes Database for the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests Of Tanzania and Kenya Hotspot
Maintain and expand the conservation outcomes database for this hotspot pending the development of a comprehensive monitoring system for the duration of the CEPF investment period. Ultimately, this will improve the Red Listing of species and benefit conservation action in the region.

Chytrid Distribution and Pathogenicity Among Frogs of the Udzungwas
Conduct a study to improve understanding of the level of infection and the threat posed by the Chytrid fungus among endemic amphibian species in the Udzungwa Mountains.

Primates on Mt. Kasigau, Kaya Rubai and Along the Tana River, Kenya: Preparing for Red List Assessments and Conservation Action
Conduct research on primate species in important sites in Kenya to fill knowledge gaps on population and distribution data and enable adequate assessment of extinction risks and conservation action.