montane evergreen forest. The Ndumbi forest, at the eastern end of Kitulo National Park, has montane evergreen and East African cedar (Juniperus procera) forests. Thickets of bamboo (Yushania alpina) can be found between the upper montane forests and the high altitude grasslands. The range is surrounded at lower elevations by miombo woodland — Eastern miombo woodlands to the north, east, and south, and Central Zambezian miombo woodlands to the west. Protected areas Kitulo National Park was created in 2005, and covers an area of 465.4 km². The new national park incorporated the Livingstone Forest Reserve (240.34 km²) and Ndumbi Valley forest Reserve (27.71 km², est. 1956). The forest reserves protected the range's largest tracts of montane evergreen forest and bamboo thickets, and the park also includes the Kitulo Plateau's montane grasslands lying between the two forest reserves, and montane grasslands to the southeast. Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve was created in 2002, and covers an area of 1,574 km² in the northeastern portion of the range, and an adjacent portion of the Usangu Plains. The game reserve incorporated the 350.78-km² Kipengere Range Forest Reserve, established in 1958. The proposed Ndukunduku forest reserve (27.19 km²) would connect Kitulo National Park and Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve. Irungu Forest Reserve, 240.32 km², lies in the northwestern edge of the range, and abuts Kitulo National Park on the south. Chimala Scarp Forest Reserve, on the northern escarpment of the range overlooking the Usangu Plains lying to the north, was established in 1960 and covers and area of 180.68 km². Protected areas in the southern part of the range are not as extensive, as well-protected, or as studied as those in the north. They include the Madenge (1,146 ha), Mdando (5,140 ha), Msiora (315 ha) and Sakaranyumo (840 ha) forest reserves. References Geography of Njombe Region Mountain ranges of Tanzania Southern Highlands, Tanzania Southern Rift montane forest–grassland mosaic