Impact of charcoal extraction to the forest resources of Tanzania: the case of Kitulangalo area, Tanzania

Research is being undertaken to expand the knowledge about the biomass potential for supplying charcoal to urban centres and find workable policy tools that will enable sustainable production and use of charcoal in the medium term perspective. The project, CHAPOSA (Charcoal Potential in Southern Africa) focuses on the dynamics of charcoal production in supply areas (mainly woodlands) and its consumption in three major cities: Lusaka, Zambia, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Maputo, Mozambique. The three year research project is funded by European Union (EU) and co-ordinated by Stockhom Environmental Institute (SEI). In each of the three partner countries, socio-economic and ecological aspects of charcoal are being studied in the supply areas and charcoal consumption and market forces studies are being undertaken in the cities. Preliminary results on the supply side are presented for Tanzania in this paper. At Kitulangalo one of the charcoal supplying areas in Tanzania, an average charcoal making household produce 43 bags of charcoal per month, charcoal is sold at kiln site at Tshs. 1,000/= per bag. The household realizes an income of Tshs. 43,000/= per month. This income is above the minimum salary rates paid currently to government workers and hence attracts more people to join the business. There are 7 trees of about 10 cm dhb for every 22 bags of about 50 kg of charcoal produced from this area. The mean charcoal kiln efficiency of 23.5% was found. Preferred tree species for charcoal includes, Julbernadia globiflora, Brachystegia boehmii, Tamarindus indica, Acacia nigresces, Acacia gerrardii, Acacia nilotica, Combretum adenogonium, Combretum molle, Combretum zeyheri, Boscia salicifolia, Diplorhynchus condylocarpon, Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia, Terminanalia mollis, Pteleopsis myrtifolia,Combretum collinum, Diospyros kirkii, Xeroderris stuhrmanii, Mimusops kummel, Albizia harvey, Acacia goetzei subsp. Goetzei, Lonchocarpus capassa and Mhungilo. Standing wood volume and basal area of these species are lower in public lands compared to forest reserves while stem numbers shows a reversed trend suggesting regeneration of these species in public lands. The public lands at roadside are dominated by large trees of Acacia polyacantha, a pioneer tree species which is not preferred for charcoal making due to its hooked thorns and lighter charcoal which breaks easily during transportation. An average stand growth rate of 2.3 m 3 ha -1 year -1 has been recorded for the re-growth miombo woodland at Kitulangalo.