Participatory Planting and Management of Indigenous Trees: Lessons from Chivi District, Zimbabwe |
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Authors: | Karin Gerhardt Nontokozo Nemarundwe |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Plant Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Villav?gen 14, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden 2. Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Zimbabwe and the Center for International Forestry Research, Indonesia
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Abstract: | This paper reports on action research that evaluated local perceptions and knowledge of indigenous tree planting and management
in the Romwe catchment, Chivi District, southern Zimbabwe. The species tested were the overexploited Afzelia quanzensis, important for timber and carvings of sculptures and utensils; Sclerocarya birrea, the marula tree used for wood, bark, and fruit; and Brachystegia glaucescens, the dominant miombo tree species, used for firewood, fiber, and fodder. Participants volunteered to plant and manage the
test seeds, while a research team monitored their activities and results for 26 months. For Afzelia quanzensis, the germination rate was 81%, and 69% of the seedlings were still alive after one year. In the case of Sclerocarya birrea, the germination rate was 69%, and the one-year survival rate was 50%. For Brachystegia glaucescens, the germination rate was only 30%, and the survival rate was 31%. The main reasons for planting were to provide shade, to
serve as a windbreak, and to conserve and gain individual control over dwindling natural resources, particularly Afzelia quanzensis. Women were generally more active and innovative than men. For instance, they searched for their own seeds or seedlings in
the bush when there weren’t sufficient plants. Some participants tried out various indigenous methods of pest and disease
control, water conservation, and moisture retention. Group feedback sessions and informal interactions provided the opportunity
to share experiences. The participants learned that indigenous trees can be purposefully planted and were not simply a gift
from God. Despite the droughts and political instability of recent years, a growing number of people became involved in tree
planting during 2002–2003. As a result, there is now greater awareness among the local population of dwindling resources and
their future potential.
Karin Gerhardt, PhD, is a researcher at Department of Plant Ecology at Uppsala University. She has worked with tropical dry forest regeneration
and forest utilization, as well as with the promotion of tropical dry forest research and development programs at the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency.
Nontokozo Nemarundwe, PhD, is a research associate with the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of Zimbabwe and the Center for
International Forestry Research. She is a sociologist with research and training experience in community based natural resource
management and gender issues in Southern Africa. |
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Keywords: | Action research Afzelia quanzensis Brachystegia glaucescns Indigenous knowledge Miombo woodlands Sclerocarya birrea Southern Zimbabwe Tree planting |
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