by laxwell Chivasa This is the last in a four-part series on the environment
With forestry projects in southern Africa placing much emphasis on exotic species, experts are warning that indigenous forests and woodlands may vanish.
A group of foresters, environmentalists, and researchers from SADC countries meeting in Harare recently at the Southern Africa Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC), raised fears that exotic species could dominate the region and called for urgent steps to save what still remains.
The group, a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) was meeting for the first time to set out chapter outlines for a forthcoming book focusing on biodiversity of indigenous forests and woodlands in southern Africa.
The main objectives of the book would be to provide the picture of the state of resources in the region and arouse awareness on the resources’ degradation, provide information of the condition of resources.
The book would define people’s concerns and roles, suggest solutions to inherent problems and provide an opening for use in educational institutions and information centres. Scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders would be challenged on the subject to take appropriate action.
This publishing exercise falls under the Communicating the Environment Programme (CEP), a partnership between the Southern African Development Community’s Environment, Land and Management Sector (SADC ELMS), the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and SARDC.
The partnership’s publishing efforts were recognised late last year when their first book, State of Environment in southern Africa (SOE) got special commendation in the Africa Noma Publishing Awards.
Their next title, Water in Southern A/rica will be published before the end of 1996 and will be followed by the one on the biodiversity of indigenous forests and woodlands in southern Africa which will be published by the end of 1997.
The 1997 publication will look at the value of indigenous forests and woodlands to the well-being of people, highlighting the fact that the resources are being lost largely to human activities which include intensive logging, clearance for agriculture and mining.
Intense rainstorms causing soil erosion and the rapid drying of the ground also worsen the state of forests and woodlands in southern Africa. “This also tends to affect young trees, most indigenous trees are slow growers requiring greater conservation measures,” commented one forester.
The SAC meeting set out 15 draft chapter topics for the book which is hoped to address the issues in a holistic manner.
The present focus of the book stems from the great importance of the miombo (main vegetation type in moist Savanna woodland) species, also well covered in the SOE.
The chapters will tackle issues such as the social and economic value of biological diversity – medicinal, nutritional, tourism, recreational, environmental protection, evolution of traditional management practices to present day approaches, dry land forest flora and fauna and ecological zones of southern Africa.
Programmes for woodlands and biodiversity have been focusing on large mammals, excluding other important floral and faunal diversity which may not necessarily be large and this will be addressed in detail in the book. Some ideas will also be presented on what people should do to conserve the biodiversity of forests.
The director of Tanzania’s Department of Parks and Wildlife Services, Lota Melamari told the committee meeting: “The book should not be prescriptive but rather it should be original, laying the facts for the ordinary people and policy makers.”
The chairman of the committee, Moremi Sekwale of Botswana says the book is in a way recognising the importance of the Convention on Biological Diversity signed by most SADC member countries.
Nils Christopherson of IUCN feels that the theme of the book is important as it zeroes in on indigenous forests and woodlands and not just indigenous forests. The book will also take a cue from the ecozone classification established in the SOE.
Dr Allan W Rodgers, a biologist and consultant with the U DP in Tanzania, says there are many different issues concerning indigenous forests and woodlands. How the book would influence the life of the people in southern Africa is also a very important challenge for the writers.
Social forestry programmes, not only in southern Africa, have tended to focus on exotic species which are fast growers. It is only recently that some projects paid attention to indigenous species.
The SAC members felt that it was now necessary to address the issues in a holistic manner, as an approach which encompasses indigenous and exotic species was necessary.
Christopherson explains that dryland forests have been given very little attention compared to other forest systems beyond this region and the stakeholders are one of the major target groups for the book.
The book could be repackaged for other groups in any sector of society decision-makers, educationalists, policy-makers, and even in other languages. “It should be a source book for trainers in various sectors of society.” says Rodgers.
Dr Nana Dhlamini of the Swaziland Environment Association proposes that the book be translated into various vernacular languages of southern Africa.
The final chapter outline will focus on trends and scenarios in the region. A number of contributors and reviewers to the book are currently being identified and would be drawn from the SADC region experts on forestry issues. (SARDC)
