We have estimated forest changes and deforestation trends on the island of Unguja (Zanzibar) over the
last three decades based on satellite images, forest cover change trajectory and post-forest land cover
analysis. The results show that deforestation has intensified and forest cover change rate has changed
from 0.03% to 0.46% between 1975e1996 and 1996e2009. On average 0.88 km2 of forests were lost
annually, which makes altogether 29.9 km2 during the 34 year study period. Using three distinctive land
use regimes prevailing on the island, we are able to show that in reality the changes and their causes
were unique in each region. The community forest land use regime was dominated by shifting cultivation
related cyclical changes combined with growing deforestation rates. The deforestation rates were also
high in agroforest land use regime, but here forest clearings were associated with urban sprawl. Opposite
to these two regimes, the cover increased in government forest areas, due to large tree planting schemes.
However, forest clearings increased significantly since 1996 in government areas and currently all regimes
are facing decreasing forest cover. Population growth, in-migration, urbanization, tourism and
increasing demand of agricultural and forestry products were the main underlying causes behind the
deforestation. Although, the long-term developments of the forest cover are dictated by these relatively
uncontrollable underlying causes, we suggest few actions to restrain deforestation and its effects. These
actions include establishment of protected area network with forest corridors, heeding trees in urban
and agricultural land use planning, replanting cleared governmental plantations and extending plantations
outside the Island.