Tsetse research project; an environmental assessment

AND THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF THE STERILE INSECT RELEASE METHOD ON THE TSETSE FLY POPULATION IN TANGA, TANZANIA. THIS PROJECT TESTS THE SIRM UNDER CONTROLLED CIRCUMSTANCES. ADVANCES IN TSETSE FLY BIOLOGY AND FLY STERILIZATION TECHNIQUES INDICATE THAT THE TSETSE FLY MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CONTROL BY THE SIRM IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER METHODS. THE SIRM MAY ALSO BECOME AN IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE CONTROL METHOD. THIS EXPERIMENT WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY GUIDELINES FOR FUTURE LARGE SCALE OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE INFORMATION COLLATED IN THIS REPORT IS DERIVED FROM THE TEAM"S ASSESSMENT OF: THE EXISTING ECOSYSTEM, THE ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT HAVE BENEFICIAL OR DELETERIOUS EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, THE TYPES AND LEVELS OF PESTICIDE AND HERBICIDE APPLICATION, THE EFFECT OF THE TREATMENT ON THE ECOSYSTEM, THE DIRECT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATION OF THE SIRM ON ANIMAL AND HUMAN POPULATIONS AND HOW AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BASIC SCIENCE OF TSETSE FLY ERADICATION CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT. THE TEAM CONCLUDES THAT THE TSETSE RESEARCH PROJECT WILL HAVE NEGLIGIBLE DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. THE BULK OF THE REPORT IS THE APPENDICES WHICH INCLUDE INFORMATION ON PRECIPITATION, GEOLOGY, THE MAMMALS, BIRDS AND REPTILES OF THE AREA, A LITERATURE REVIEW, PLANT COMMUNITIES AND COVER TYPES, A PLANT LIST, A REVIEW OF INSECTICIDES AND APPLICATION EQUIPMENT, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY. GIVEN THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE SIRM, FUTURE TSETSE FLY ERADICATION PROJECTS MAY BE UNDERTAKEN WITH A 40-50% LESS DEPENDENCE UPON INSECTICIDE APPLICATIONS.