East African Journal of Forestry and Agroforestry

Can On-Farm Wood Meet the Global Wood Supply and Save Tropical Forests? A Systematic Review

Jane M. Mutune, Peter A. Minang, Lalisa Duguma, Priscilla Wainaina — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 09:16:34 +0000

Global wood supply is faced with an annual escalating scarcity threat by population growth and increased wood demand. Natural forests, a chief source of wood, are under pressure from massive deforestation and degradation, whereas plantation forests are faced with challenges of land tenure and competition from other land uses. This systematic review aimed to point out the contribution of on-farm trees to global wood supply and tropical forest conservation. The study adopted the Sample-Phenomenon of Interest-Design-Evaluation-Research type framework to identify relevant literature. Both grey and peer-reviewed publications were considered. Of the 3800 publications identified, 42 substantially met the inclusion criteria and were selected for data extraction. A huge imbalance was evident in the wood supply and demand that forest production could not satisfy alone. On-farm trees were observed to be a significant alternative source of wood supply in South Africa, India, and Kenya, supplying 27, 36, and 70 per cent of total apparent consumption, respectively. Where importation reliance was low and a low forest production rate, on-farm trees contributed more than 50% of the total apparent consumption. China had a high reliance on importation. On-farm trees contributed at least a supply of 8% of total apparent consumption. On-farm trees were the chief source of wood fuel. On-farm trees contribute substantially to the supply chain of industrial roundwood, woodfuel, and sawn wood, reducing the need to infiltrate the forests. Where the full potential of on-farm trees is inadequately exploited, on-farm trees can sustainably contribute to the wood supply chain and save tropical forests

Historical Trend Analysis and Future Projections of Rainfall in Amhara, Ethiopia

Antensay Mekoya, Moges Molla, Mulatu Workneh, Tewachew Worku — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 11:55:14 +0000

Understanding rainfall trends & projections is essential for water resource management. This study showed historical (1981-2020) and future (2021-2100) rainfall amounts and trends across 71 grid points separated by 0.44^o in Amhara and Amhara’s five rainfall regimes (A3, A4, A5U, A5L, A6). Ground and satellite merged historical data from Ethiopia Meteorology Institute (EMI) and the Rossby Centre Regional Atmospheric Model (RCA) forced by an ensemble of the best-performed Global Circulation Models (GCMs) in Amhara, HadGEM2-ES of UK and MPI-ESM-LR of Germany, in three Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios, RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 from CORDEX project were the basis of dataset. Amhara’s annual, seasonal, and monthly historical rainfall trends mostly increased. During Jun-Sep (Kiremt), lower rainfall receiving regimes (A6, A5L, A5U) had a significant increasing trend (~ 4 mm/year), while wetter regimes (A3 & A4) had a non-significant increasing (< 1 mm/year) and decreasing (~ -0.5 mm/year) trends, respectively. Generally, compared to the climatology, the annual and Kiremt rainfall in Amhara is projected to increase in the near-term (2021-2040) and mid-term (2041-2060) and decrease in the long-term (2081-2100); Oct-Jan (Bega) rainfall is projected to increase in all future terms and all RCP scenarios while Feb-May (Belg) rainfall will be abrupt

Culm Density and Biomass Variation across Forest Type and Age Gradient of Oxytenanthera abyssinica (A. Rich.) Munro, in north-western Ethiopia

Habtamu Achenef Tesema, Asabeneh Alemayehu, Beyene Belay — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:05:01 +0000

Lowland bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) forest resources are most promising in Northwestern Ethiopia. The area's surrounding bamboo forest is significant both environmentally, economically, and socially. Nonetheless, no particular research has been done to ascertain the differences in biomass for the various sections of bamboo in both plantations and natural bamboo stands. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the culm density and biomass variation across forest type and age gradients of Oxytenanthera abyssinica stand in Pawe, northwestern Ethiopia. One hundred eight (108) bamboo culms (54 from the plantations and 54 from the natural bamboo stands) were sampled destructively. After that, each of the specimens was divided into three sections (leaf, branch, and culm). The fresh weight of the sample and the total fresh weight of each portion were ascertained instantly. Then, samples were brought to the testing center for dry weight analysis, bundled in a paper bag. The data was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis employing R software. As the result showed, the mean height and diameter for the plantation stand ranged between 9, 13.2 m, 3.4 cm, and 6.4 cm, respectively, and the natural bamboo forest has mean height and diameter ranging between 6.35 and 12 m and 2.0 and 4.4 cm, respectively. The mean density of 0.51 g/cm³ for plantations and 0.41 g/cm³ for natural bamboo forests was recorded. Compared to natural forests, managed bamboo forests (stands) exhibit an increase of 17% in overall biomass production. While density rose with age, the medium-aged bamboo group in both forest types accumulated more above-ground biomass than the younger and older age groups

Genetic Diversity of Bamboo (Yushinia alpina) Borer Larvae in the Mau Forest Complex, Kenya

Jackson Bwalya, Calleb Olweny, PhD, Donald Chungu, PhD — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 17:14:14 +0000

Bamboo borer larvae have caused major losses of bamboo cover in natural forests and plantations. Lack of information on the fauna of bamboo trees has been cited as the contributing factor to poor management of bamboo stands. Genetic diversity information helps understand the effects of different fauna in guiding management plans. Genetic diversity information has recently become an important tool in conservation science. This paper aimed to determine the genetic diversity of the bamboo borer larvae in the Mau Forest complex in order to generate information that could guide the management and conservation of bamboo trees (Yushinia Alpina) in the Mau Forest Complex. The mitochondrial C oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) of 12 isolates was sequenced and analyzed. A similarity search of the bamboo borer larvae was carried out using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) BLAST search to identify the larvae species. The genetic diversity and genetic pairwise distances were determined, and Tajimas D and Nei’s FU Fs statistics were calculated to estimate the population expansion that has occurred. The results showed genetic diversity (haplotype diversity 0.956) in the bamboo borer larvae population of the Mau Forest Complex. The nucleotide diversity (0.283) was found to be low. The similarity search showed that the bamboo borer larvae of Yushinia alpina belonged to four (4) species of noctuid larvae (Lepidoptera). The identity matches to the similar species scored an average of 94%. The Tajimas D (0.374) and FUs Fs (5.547) collectively indicated no rare excess mutations in the population. The results reveal high genetic diversity, which is key in the management of forest species

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Performance of Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. Ex J. C. Wendl in Selected Agro-Ecologies of Uganda

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 06:48:42 +0000

Bamboo is a versatile and valuable resource that has been shown to have social, ecological, and economic benefits in many countries worldwide. Even though Uganda has a suitable environment for bamboo growth, it remains underutilized. One of the key challenges in promoting bamboo farming is the need for more information about the growth performance of different bamboo species in various site conditions. Therefore, this study determined the morphological characteristics and growth performance of Bambusa vulgaris in Uganda. A total of 24 bamboo farms were selected from a list of bamboo farmers provided by key informants using stratified sampling. These farms had relatively uniform B. vulgaris stands and were drawn from Uganda's three agro-ecological zones (AEZs): the Southwestern, West Nile, and Lake Victoria crescent agro-ecological zones. Eight temporary sample plots were established in each zone, and various growth parameters were measured. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Sidak post-hoc test was used to compare the performance of B. vulgaris across the different agro-ecological zones based on growth parameters. The results of the study showed that the total above-ground biomass was highest in the Lake Victoria crescent (24.773 kg/ha), followed by the West Nile (17.141 kg/ha) and the Southwestern (15.125 kg/ha) agro-ecological zones. The growth rate of B. vulgaris after three years was found to be similar to the outstanding growth rate mentioned in the literature. The growth performance of B. vulgaris was notably better in the L. Victoria crescent compared to the West Nile and Southwestern highlands – suggesting that efforts to promote the growing of B. vulgaris should prioritize the L. Victoria crescent agro-ecological zone. Overall, this study provides valuable information on the growth performance of B. vulgaris in different agro-ecological zones in Uganda. This information can be used to guide the promotion and development of bamboo farming in the country, which has the potential to improve livelihoods and contribute to sustainable development

Relevance of Remote Sensing and its Applications in Forestry. A Critical Review

Sintayehu Getie, Asabeneh Alemayehu, Antensay Mekoya — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:21:11 +0000

For several nations who are developing, forests play a crucial role in rural life. Due to the incredible challenges associated with staff, logistics, and chronological consistency of field-based surveys for forest management, a variety of sources of data obtained by airborne, space-borne, and terrestrial remote sensing sensors are now essential sources of knowledge for studies on the spatiotemporal patterns of forests. Most recently, understanding of forests and their conservation has been derived primarily from satellite imagery. The process of organizing and carrying out procedures for the management and use of forests can be done with the assistance of remote sensing in order to achieve economic, social, cultural, and environmental goals. Satellite remote sensing has been providing ever-more-advanced knowledge about woodland structure, management, monitoring, and oversight whenever the first civilian earth-observing program was launched. This article reviewed the application of remote sensing on forestry. Data were gathered from published research papers, books, internet resources, and expert observation. Remote sensing’s synoptic view, availability in a rage of spatial-temporal scales, high degree of homogeneity, inexpensiveness as well as the increasing trend in availability make it special in forest science. As observed from the review, remote sensing technology is critical in forest management. It helps to provide up to date information on forest cover change, forest fire, forest disturbance, forest wildlife management, forest biomass and others. Remote sensing is vital in providing scientific information in forest resources monitoring and management

Smallholder Farmers' Local Practices Underpinning the Use of Agroforestry Technologies in Uganda's Mt. Elgon Region

Florence Birungi Kyazze, Fred Kalanzi, Isaac Kiyingi, Esther Sebuliba — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:15:34 +0000

Mt. Elgon is a unique cross-border afro-montane ecosystem that has always provided vital essential goods and services for human livelihoods. However, with the increasing population density, forest degradation has become a significant issue, resulting in a rise in landslides, mudslides, pest and disease outbreaks, and reduced land productivity. Recently, it has been realized that many smallholder farmers have incorporated trees into their farming systems using indigenous knowledge. This indicates that smallholder farmers’ profound knowledge regarding tree use and management has reminded us that farmers have always been privy to much information regarding tree use and management accumulated over the years. This study aims to investigate how smallholder farmers' local practices enhance the use of agroforestry technologies in the eastern highlands of Uganda. This information will help develop and promote agroforestry practices that are acceptable to farmers. The study employed a case study approach, collecting data from 12 smallholder farmers over four months. The results indicate that smallholder farmers use local practices to enhance tree seedling survival, optimize space, and shorten the waiting time for tree-related benefits. Although some of their practices may not align with the desired outcome of farm productivity, further validation is needed to understand how they can be integrated into mainstream agroforestry research and development

The Role of Remote Sensing in Forest Cover Changes in Butambala District, Central Uganda

Sarah Namayengo, Upton Nuwagira — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 08:51:11 +0000

Natural forests in Uganda have experienced changes which must be quantified to inform future forest resource management and avoid the danger of reduced ecosystem service benefits. The primary purpose of this study was to assess forest changes in Butambala District by employing remote sensing techniques and GIS tehniques. The original contribution is the capacity to detect Central Forest Reserve cover decline using remote sensing in the study area for a 27-year period (1995-2020). Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2 images were processed using a supervised image classification approach to identify and quantify land use/cover changes. The study results indicated that the district has undergone land cover/use changes over the last 27 years. The prevailing changes in the district from 1995 to 2022 were expansions of built-up areas from (0.54% to 4.22%), agriculture from (42.38% to 79%), and decreases in grassland from (29.9% to 0%), natural forest cover from (14.07% to 5.9%), wetland from (8.24% to 7.9%), tree plantation from (4.87% to 3.3%). The changes threaten the environment and quality of life of people. Therefore, there is need to take critical and practical measures to regulate land use and landcover changes and conserve natural resources in Butambala District

Comparative Carbon Stock Potential of Indigenous Agroforestry Systems in Silte Wereda, Southern Ethiopia

Mihert Semere, Chala Tadesse, Tesemash Abebe, Abirham Cherinet, Marta Gebreyesus — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Agroforestry system (AFS) is described as one of the promising mitigation options for climate change through its high carbon sequestration capacity. This study was conducted in Silite District; Southern Ethiopia to assess the unaccounted carbon stock potential of selected traditional agroforestry systems. The study assessed the carbon stock potential of AFS biomass and soil carbon pools. Biomass and soil samples were taken from temporary plots laid for this study, 20 × 20 m for home garden, 50 × 100 m for parkland, and 10 × 10 m for woodlot AFS. Height (H) and diameter at breast height (DBH) were taken from the sample plots to estimate biomass carbon. Litter, herb, and grass samples were collected from 1 m2 quadrant within the main plot. The findings show that the total biomass carbon ranged from (1.28-7 Mg ha -1) though there was no significant difference among the systems and higher biomass carbon was attributed by parkland AFS while the lowest was woodlot. A significantly higher amount of SOC was recorded in home garden AFS along the two depths (82.5 Mg ha -1) than the other two systems and the lowest was attributed to parkland (41.7 Mg ha -1). Therefore, this traditional AFS should be supported for their contributions in climate change mitigation schemes as they can sequester a reasonable amount of carbon