Indigenous Woodland Management

Malawi is mostly covered by miombo woodlands, which are poor in commercial timber species but provide many products, which underpin rural life in addition to variable service functions. Increased land pressure has resulted in extensive clearance and severe degradation of the miombo woodlands. Repeated late burning has compounded the problem. Since miombo woodlands are the major sources of non-timber forest products (NTFP) and intangible benefits, they cannot be managed effectively centrally. Devolution of control to communities implies enabling technical support, definition of limits and monitoring sustainable stewardship. The process is one of co-operation, rural communities must therefore receive benefits as quickly as possible without compromising sustainability. The research challenge is to assist development of simple woodland management systems, which sustainably provide NTFPs and timber products while ensuring soil, water and biodiversity conservation. FRIM has developed an active research programme in indigenous woodland management aimed at maximising socio-economic benefits through co-management of existing resources. The current research focuses on: productivity, and utilization; ecology and reproductive biology, silvicultural and community based management systems of the miombo woodlands.