The ecoregion also includes areas of high-elevation grassland, heathland, and bamboo forest.

[4] The forests are home to many endemic species including over 800 plants, and are the original homeland of the African violet (Saintpaulia) and the Busy Lizzie (Impatiens).

Furthermore, study of the wildlife on these isolated hills is important for research into evolutionary pathways.

These wet hillsides are highly populated with farming communities and most forest has been lost, especially on the lower slopes.

[1] There are also protected areas around a number of reservoirs, as this region is central to Tanzania's water supply.