The Dzalanyama Forest Reserve

The Dzalanyama Forest Reserve is the single most important water catchment in the central region of Malawi This critical ecosystem helps secure the provision of water supply to the rural and urban areas of Lilongwe city for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses and supports to the livelihoods of thousands of people living along the rivers and streams that drains from Dzalanyama Range. The area is drained by three major river systems which flow north-eastwards from the Dzalanyama Forest Reserve to Lake Malawi. The Lilongwe River with its tributaries, Likuni, Katete and Chaulongwe, drains the western, central and north- eastern parts of the area; the Namitete River, drains the north- western part and Diamphwi River with its major tributary, the Lifidzi drains the south- eastern segment. Small dambo lie at the source of each tributary stream and rarely dry up as all but smallest streams in Dzalanyama continue to flow throughout the year. The area is therefore humid and cool even

Dzalanyama Forest Reserve was first established as a game reserve  called Central Angoniland Game Reserve in 1911 and later as Dzalanyama Forest Reserve in 1922. The main objectives for the establishment are watershed management and control of biodiversity. Being a miombo woodland, Dzalanyama Forest Reserve supports various ecosystems of both fauna and flora. Within the reserve are two production plantations namely; Dzalanyama timber plantation(Pine; 18sq KM) which was established in 1978 and Katete fuelwood and poles plantation (Eucalyptus; 32sq KM) and was established in 1982. These two plantations were mainly established in order to supplement the growing demand of timber, fuelwood and poles to Lilongwe city and the surrounding districts. Natural woodland Pine Plantation Eucalyptus Plantation