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Fuelwoods: Structure and Sustainability

Mopane tree (Colophospermum mopane), reputed to be the best fuelwood in Africa

Semi-arid regions across the tropics and subtropics are under enormous human pressure, and most such areas suffer from habitat degradation. We are focusing on fuelwood in Zimbabwe and Brazil. The main goal of both projects is to help local people to sustainably manage the limited tree resources available to them, which they exploit for firewood and charcoal production. The species selected (Combretum apiculatum, Colophospermum mopane, Acacia karroo, Acacia tortilis in Zimbabwe; Croton sonderianus, Caesalpinia pyramidalis, Mimosa ophthalmocentra, Mimosa tenuiflora in Brazil) are those valued for their burning properties. The situation in the two countries is quite different. In Zimbabwe, villagers have to walk increasing distances to gather firewood. In NE Brazil, the land is generally managed by smallholders who have the choice of either (a) grazing the caatinga vegetation, (b) clearing the land, (c) managing the trees growing on it, or (d) a combination of the three. In both areas we are investigating whether coppicing, pollarding or crown-thinning result in the best regrowth. A further dimension is that the timing of the cutting, i.e. dry season or wet season can have a bearing on tree survival and regrowth.

The project in Zimbabwe is run in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Forestry Commission, with Dzidzayi Maruzane as their representative. It will be completed by 2007, following completion of Maruzane's MPhil work at the University of Reading.

The project in Brazil is in collaboration with Associação Plantas do Nordeste (APNE). Since 2002 we have been managing trees of each of the four species in two areas of caatinga in Pernambuco state (Sertânia and Serra Talhada). At each site we have two sets of trees, one set cut in the wet season, the other in the dry season. We have also undertaken wood anatomical studies of the four species with Lazaro Benedito da Silva at State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS), Bahia. Further work will concentrate on measuring the volume of regrowth, and studying the anatomical variation in the wood of the regrowth in relation to that of the original trees. We will ensure that our findings are disseminated to the local people e.g. smallholders in the caatinga so that they can incorporate our recommendations when they manage their land. Teaching is an important component of the project involving local schools, universities and the community at large.

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