Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Centre – UEMC is our field station in the Udzungwa and serves as a hub for scientists, students, conservation partners and tourists working across or visiting the Udzungwa landscape.
UEMC holds the following facilities available to researchers, agencies and tourists:
- a large (150 m2) seminar room (accommodating over 50 people)
- three researchers’ houses, each with two double, self-contained rooms
- a large dormitory block with four rooms (hosting up to 24 people)
- a dining hall with annexed kitchen and store, capable to serve up to 30 people
- a new laboratory, inaugurated in September, for sorting, identifying, processing, and storing biological and environmental samples
These facilities enable a wide variety of activities – from academic research and field courses to conservation programmes – bringing together local and international expertise in one of Africa’s most important biodiversity hotspots. Our facilities also host from time to time eco-tourists, visiting the Udzungwa area.
Attracting researchers, students, institutions, and visitors from around the world, the centre plays a key role in advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and supporting long-term conservation efforts.facilitate individual researchers, PhD students and agencies working in the area to promote research and conservation efforts
Laboratory & Innovation
In August 2025, MACCO inaugurated its new laboratory facility. The structure includes office space, a lecture and training room, and dedicated areas for sorting and analysing biological samples, together with separate sanitation facilities. The laboratory addresses a longstanding need identified by the Research and Monitoring Department, TANAPA, and partner organizations, as research activities became increasingly complex. Previously, field-collected samples had to be processed without a dedicated workspace. The new facility now provides purpose-built rooms for preparing, identifying, and storing biological and environmental materials, as well as housing specialised equipment requiring controlled conditions. So the laboratory strengthens our capacity for ecological monitoring and research, providing a professional environment for sample analysis, data processing, and scientific training.
Beyond infrastructure, the facility enhances collaboration between conservation authorities, universities, and research institutions, while supporting the next generation of scientists through hands-on learning and supervision.