Enrichment Planting to Supplement Natural Regeneration of Valuable Timber Resources and African Blackwood in a Community-Managed Forest of Tanzanian Miombo Woodland

Kazushi Nakai; Jasper Makala; Jonas Timothy

doi:10.37284/eajfa.8.1.2805

Kazushi Nakai Yamaha Corporation
Jasper Makala Kyoto University
Jonas Timothy Mpingo Conservation & Development Initiative

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37284/eajfa.8.1.2805

Keywords: African Blackwood, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Enrichment Planting, Tanzania, Forest Conservation, Community Forestry

Share Article:

Abstract

African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon), locally known as Mpingo in Swahili, is a tree species of critical importance in Tanzania, particularly for crafting woodwind instruments such as clarinets and oboes. However, its natural population is declining due to the imbalance between its slow growth rate and high industrial demand for timber. While natural regeneration remains essential for sustaining this species, planting offers a strategic method to supplement resources. Enrichment planting in forest gaps presents a promising approach to integrating conservation with community-based forestry. This study aimed to develop an enrichment planting method to supplement the natural regeneration of African Blackwood (ABW) in local forests. A 1.5-ha permanent plot was established in a community forest, and 1,503 nursery-raised seedlings (aged over six months) were transplanted at a spacing of 2 m × 2 m. Growth and survival were monitored over five years. Results showed a survival rate of approximately 62% after five years, with a maximum seedling height of 320 cm. The observed survival and growth performance were moderate compared to other Dalbergia species’ enrichment planting experiments in monoculture plantations. Growth performance varied spatially, with significant correlations between seedling growth and environmental factors such as soil pH and vegetation structure. These findings demonstrate that enrichment planting holds the potential for sustainable ABW resource conservation in natural forests. Although further long-term monitoring is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness fully, this approach offers a viable strategy for enhancing tree resources and biodiversity in community-managed forests while supporting local development and conservation goals.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ådjers, G., Hadengganan, S., Kuusipalo, J., Nuryanto, K., & Vesab, L. (1995). Enrichment planting of dipterocarps in logged-over secondary forests: effect of width, direction and maintenance method of planting line on selected Shorea species. Forest Ecology and Management, 73, 259–270

Ball, S. M. J., Smith, A. S., Keylock, N. S., Manoko, L., Mlay, D., Morgan, E. R., Ormand, J. R. H., & Timothy J. (1998). Tanzanian Mpingo ‘96 Final Report. Mpingo Conservation Project, Fauna & Flora International, Cambridge.

Bryce, J. M. (1967). The commercial Timbers of Tanzania. Forest Division, Ministry of Agriculture & Co-operatives, Moshi, Tanzania

Cunningham, A. B. (2016). Trade study of selected East African timber production species. In: Proceedings of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Seventeenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (pp. 27–66). Johannesburg, South Africa.

Cunningham, A. B. (2015). More than a music tree: 4400 years of Dalbergia melanoxylon trade in Africa. South African Journal of Botany. 98: 167.

Frazer, G. W., Canham, C. D., & Lertzman K. P. (1999). Gap Light Analyzer (GLA): Imaging software to extract canopy structure and gap light transmission indices from true-colour fisheye photographs, user’s manual and program documentation. Copyright © 1999: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York.

Gregory, A., Ball, S. M. J., & Eziefula, U. E. (1999). Tanzanian Mpingo 98 Full Report. Mpingo Conservation Project, Tanzania.

Hector, A., Philipson, C., Saner, P., Chamagne, J., Dzulkifli, D., O’Brien, M., Snaddon, J. L., Ulok, P., Weilenmann, M., Reynolds, G., & Godfray, H. C. J. (2011). The Sabah Biodiversity Experiment: a long-term test of the role of tree diversity in restoring tropical forest structure and functioning. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 366(1582), 3303–3315.

Ilunga Muledi, J., Bauman, D., Drouet, T., Vleminckx, J., Jacobs, A., Lejoly, J., Meerts, P., & Shutcha, M.N. (2016). Fine-scale habitats influence tree species assemblage in a miombo forest. Journal of Plant Ecology, 10(6), 958–969.

Jenkins, M., Oldfield, S., Aylett, T., Jenkins, M., Oldfield, S., & Aylett, T. (2002). International trade in African blackwood (p. 7). Cambridge, UK: Fauna & Flora International.

Khatun, K., Corbera, E., & Ball, S. (2017). Fire is REDD+: offsetting carbon through early burning activities in south-eastern Tanzania. Oryx, 51(1), 43–52.

Kissling W. D., & Carl G. (2008). Spatial autocorrelation and the section of simultaneous autoregressive models. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 17(1), 59–71.

Lou, M., Zhang, H., Lei, X., Li, C., & Zang, H. (2016). Spatial autoregressive models for stand top and stand mean height relationship in mixed Quercus mongolica broadleaved natural stands of Northeast China. Forests, 7(2), 43.

Lovett, J. (1987). Mpingo – the African Blackwood. Swara, 10, 27-28.

Maconda, F. B. S, & Ruffo C. K. (2011). Species List sorted by vernacular names (common names). In: National Forestry Resources Monitoring and Assessment of Tanzania (NAFORMA). Forestry and Beekeeping Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Manyanda, B. J., Nzunda, E. F., Mugasha, W. A., & Malimbwi, R. E. (2021). Effects of drivers and their variations on the number of stems and aboveground carbon removals in miombo woodlands of mainland Tanzania. Carbon balance and Management, 16(1), 16.

Mariki, A. S., & Wills, A. R. (2014). Environmental Factors Affecting Timber Quality of African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon). Mpingo Conservation & Development Initiative, Tanzania.

Marshall, A., McLaughlin, B. P., Zerr, C., Yanguas-Fernández, E., & Hall, J. S. (2020). Early indicators of success rehabilitating an underperforming teak (Tectona grandis) plantation in Panama through enrichment planting. New Forests, 52(3), 377–395.

Marshall, A., Nelson, C. R., & Hall, J. S. (2022). Species selection and plantation management in enrichment planting with native timber species in the Panama Canal watershed. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 5, 925877.

Mbuya, L. P., Msanga, H. P., Ruffo, C. K., Birnie, A., & Tengnas, B. O. (1994). Useful trees and shrubs for Tanzania. Identification, propagation and management for agricultural and pastoral communities. Regional Soil Conservation Unit, Swedish International Development Authority, Swedish Embassy, Nairobi, Kenya.

Millet, J., Tran, N., Vien Ngoc, N., Tran Thi, T., & Prat, D. (2013). Enrichment planting of native species for biodiversity conservation in a logged tree plantation in Vietnam. New Forests. 44, 369–383.

Nakai, K. (2020) Enhancing the potential of African Blackwood, Dalbergia melanoxylon, through sustainable forest utilization: a valuable tree species in Tanzanian miombo forest. Doctoral Thesis, Kyoto University, Kyoto.

Nakai, K., Ishizuka, M., Ohta, S., Timothy, J., Jasper, M., Lyatura, N. M., Shau, V., & Yoshimura T. (2019). Environmental factors and wood qualities of African blackwood, Dalbergia melanoxylon, in Tanzanian Miombo natural forest. Journal of Wood Science, 65(39), 1–11.

Nobori, Y. (2000). Forest Window. Japan Society of Forest Planning Press. p100. Tokyo.

Norman, J. M., & Campbell, G. S. (1989). Canopy structure. In: Percy R.W., Ehleringer J., Mooney H.A., Rundel P.W. (Eds.) Plant Ecology: Field methods and Instrumentation (pp. 301–325). Chapman & Hall, London.

Nshubemuki, L. (1993). Dalbergia melanoxylon: Valuable Wood from a Neglected Tree. NFT Highlights 1993-1995. Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, Hawaii, US.

Nyomora, A. M. S., Washa, B. W., & Nnungu, S. I. (2021). Assessment of African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanlxylon) population structure in Kilwa District, Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Science, 47(4), 1442–1449.

Opulukwa, M. J., Hamza, K. F. S., & Malende, Y. H. M. B. (2002). Inventory of Dalbegia melanoxylon (Mpingo) in the southern part of Tanzania: The case of Nachingwea. African Study Monographs, 23(1), 1–10.

Orwa, C., Mutua, A., Kindt, R., Jamnadass, R., & Simons, A. (1994). Agroforestry database: a tree species reference and selection guide version 4.0. World Agroforestry Centre ICRAF, Nairobi, KE. http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sites/treebs/treedatabases.asp. Accessed 15 Oct 2024

Running, S. W. (1984). Microclimate control of forest productivity: analysis by computer simulation of annual photosynthesis/transpiration balance in different environments. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 32 (3-4), 267–288.

Running, S. W., & Coughlan, J. C. (1988). A general model of forest ecosystem processes for regional applications I. Hydrologic balance, canopy gas exchange and primary production processes. Ecological Modelling, 42(2), 125–154.

Sacandé, M., Vautier, H., Sanon, M., & Schmit, L. (2007). Dalbergia melanoxylon Guill. & Perr (Seed Leaflet Report No. 135), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Sasaki, T., Niwa, H., Asanami, F., & Kamada, M. (2017). Estimation of floor light conditions of a coastal pine forest using a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Journal of the Japanese Society of Revegetation Technology, 43(1), 51–55. (in Japanese)

UNEP-WCMC (2017). Review of selected Dalbergia species and Guibourtia demeusei. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge.

Washa, B. W. (2008). Dependence of Dalbergia melanoxylon natural populations on root suckers’ regeneration. Journal of African Affairs, 24(32), 177–198.

Washa, B. W., Nyomora, A. M. S., & Lyaruu, H. M. V. (2012). Improving propagation success of D. melanoxylon (African Blackwood) in Tanzania (II): rooting ability of stem and root cuttings of Dalbergia melanoxylon (African Blackwood) in response to rooting media sterilization in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Science, 38(1), 43–53.

Woodgate, W., Jones, S. D., Suarez, L., Hill, M. J., Armston, J. D., Wilkers, P., Soto-Berelov, M., Haywood, A., & Mellor A. (2015). Understanding the variability in ground-based methods for retrieving canopy openness, gap fraction, and leaf area index in diverse forest systems. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 205, 83–95.

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. (2024). Dalbergia melanoxylon. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-2 (Accessed 10 January 2025)

Yamaha Corporation, & Japan International Cooperation Agency (2019). The United Republic of Tanzania, preparatory survey on BOP business for sustainable procurement of FSC certificated wood: Final Report. Japan International Cooperation Agency, Tokyo.