4.1. INDIGENOUS FORESTS
4.2. FOREST PLANTATIONS
4.3. WOOD PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY
4.4. ANNUAL ALLOWABLE CUT
4.5. LOCAL UTILIZATION
Indigenous forests have few commercially exploitable species (appendix 2). Widely scattered groups or trees of Pterocarpus angolensis, Khaya anthoteca, Widdringtonia cupressoides, Burtdavya nyasica, Afzelia quanzensis and a few other decorative species are in demand for timber. These are mostly processed by pit sawyers.
Woodcutting is licensed. No charges are levied for domestic use of wood from customary land. There is a stumpage fee levied by the Forestry Department if wood is cut for commercial purchases as well as domestic uses.
The history of plantation in Malawi dates back 1899 when cypress was planted followed by Mulanje cedar. Trials of exotic pines started in 1905. The first successful pine plantation was established in 1930 with the use of mycorrhizal soil imported from the then Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). After independence, both public and private sectors have been involved in raising plantations (Pinus patula, Eucalyptus spp., Pinus elliottii, P. caribaea, Gmelina arborea, Senna siamea, Toona ciliata and Cupressus spp.).
The total annual production of individual timber and fuelwood in Malawi has been estimated at 160 000 m3 and 3.1 million m3 respectively. While the demand for industrial timber can be fully met from the industrial plantations, there is a gap between the demand and the production of fuelwood.
The allowable cut, or the maximum cut on a sustainable yield basis, is calculated from the Mean Annual Increment (MAI) of the various forest categories as shown in table 1 below.
TABLE 1: ANNUAL ALLOWABLE CUT
|
Types |
Area (ha) |
MAI (m3/ha) |
Allowable cut (million m3/year) |
|
|
Natural forests |
Forest reserves |
888 000 |
1.2 |
1.0 |
|
Customary lands |
1 700 000 |
0.8 |
1.4 |
|
|
Plantations |
Viphya |
53 000 |
17.0 |
0.9 |
|
Other governmental plantations |
39 000 |
11.0 |
0.4 |
|
|
Estate planting |
14 000 |
11.0 |
0.2 |
|
|
Woodlots |
15 000 |
10.0 |
0.2 |
|
|
Total |
2 709 000 |
|
4.1 |
|
It would appear that much of the resource is supplied direct to customers by small-scale suppliers (pit sawyers and local entrepreneurs) rather than from the few timber merchants that exist. Small-scale users buy direct from villagers or from pit sawyers reported to ring bark trees in order to fell them. Hardwood timber is said to be available for sale in urban townships close to forest reserves. Several hardwood users have admitted that to ensure adequate wood stock, they occasionally ignore existing rules.
The most preferred hardwood is Pterocarpus angolensis which is liked for its stability. Khaya anthotheca appears to be the next most used hardwood. Other woods used commercially include Afzelia quanensis, Pericopsis angolensis, Terminalia serricea and Adina microcephala. Gmelina arborea, an exotic hardwood, is also widely used. Widdringonia coprissoides, the national tree of Malawi, a high-grade softwood, is now very scarce and is only used for special purposes. Dalbergia melanoxylon, Pericopsis angolensis and Khaya anthotheca are the main woods used by wood carvers as the favored wood, Diospyros mespiliformis, is now virtually unobtainable.
