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Tumaren

Ecology and Conservation Observations in Laikipia, Kenya

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Sustainability and Charcoal

Category: Issues | Date: Dec 05 2007 | By: tumaren

In our area clearing woodland for charcoal is a rather new phenomena. The charcoal that is cut and prepared here is made for sale in the south near cities like nanyuki or meru. There, a bag of charcoal can sell for about 350 shillings equivalent to 5 or 6 US $. This can be a rather good business and so more and more Meru (a tribe that lives on the east side of Mt. Kenya around Meru town) have been coming to eastern Laikipia to cut charcoal. Typically they make a deal with the land owners who may want to clear a certain area to open it up (so kids can go to school along a road and not be bothered by elephants, or to clear a boundary etc.). We have entered into such a deal in order to open up a small area that is dangerous to pass when our elephants around. The area is not extensive and after the selective cutting the area remains vegetated with the broken elephant damaged bushes gone and the more pretty specimens left. The trees that are cut are predominantly Acacia mellifera, also known as the wait-a-bit-thorn. Mellifera is a short lived bush and so when cut returns rather quickly. Having watched this bush return vigorously i began to think about the sustainability of charcoal cutting in this kind of habitat, wondering if there should not be more conversation with the local communities about how to properly practice charcoal cutting. Like all natural resource extraction, the practice of charcoal cutting can be abused leaving too little woodland to repopulate or as wildlife habitat or as firewood for the local masai.
Charcoal is a bad word in nearly all conservation circles and this is typically because of abuse and over exploitation yet most africans are left with no other way of cooking their food. The conservation community have made efforts to introduce such technologies as solar ovens but these have led to limited success because of their physical limits (difficult to fry or boil on demand) as well as cultural barriers. I think that charcoal, till we come up with a better idea, is a reality and that the conservation community could serve itself well by beginning to address sustainability with regards to charcoal collecting in kenya. If we just sit back and say “thats bad” from the confines of our gas/electric fed lives we are being hypocrites and nobody will bother to listen anyway. just some thoughts for today. cheers, jamie

9 Responses to “Sustainability and Charcoal”

Wim, on 12 Dec 2007

Yes, the cropping of anything in what we like to romantically think of as pristine wilderness always raises eco-emotions but all landscapes are ultimately managed to varying degrees.
Is the problem not that huge quantities of wood are needed to produce much lesser amounts of charcoal so dense stands at watersheds and reserves will always be targetted to feed a growing market and smaller crops simply won’t supply the market need? But you’re absolutely right, if they’ve no chance of access to a reliable and affordable supply of energy those people have absolutely no choice in the matter if they want light, heat and cooked food for their kids. As they say, “Hypocrisy is the Vaseline of political intercourse…”

James Christian, on 13 Dec 2007

Hi Wim,
Thanks for your points. The wood that one cuts for charcoal will loose some weight but not much volume as it is slowly cooked into the charcoal. the fires that they make under the large piles burn so slowly (up to 20 days) and with so little oxygen that they do not really burn up the wood but instead intensely bake it making it a rather efficient system. I have actually been surpirsed how much charcoal they have made with such a limited amount of cutting.
also if you dont mind i will be stealing the hypocrisy quote. cheers, jc

Wim, on 14 Dec 2007

Oh feel free James…
Would I be right in thinking that clearing bush may also allow grasses to flourish which would otherwise be shaded out and thus provide for grazing stock (wild or otherwise)? Though the rapid regrowth would suggest otherwise, is this because the premise is plain wrong or that there aren’t sufficient numbers of grazing animals to keep the bush at bay? How long does it take for a major vegetation change to take place and become the prevailing norm after repeated cropping by charcoal makers or indeed, Elephants? Just curious, I think you’ve touched on something significant with the notion of sustainable charcoal production however heretical it may be.

James, on 16 Dec 2007

It does appear that grass can benefit when the Acacia mellifera is thinned a bit but i would hesitate to say that removing all would leave you with a lush plain of grass. the local masai generally feel that the mellifera is limiting their grass but it is difficult to say to what extent its roots are helping to stabalize the soil that the grass is rooted in. i would love to understand more about the long term changes in general land cover here. the elders here say that when they were kids there was very little mellifera and much more grass and rain. they also say that there was not much in the way of elephants then (they say hardly any). I would love to know more about how all these vegetation changes over time, the influence of grazers, fire etc.

Truman Young, on 05 Jan 2008

We have done some research on sustainable charcoal harvesting in Laikipia:

Okello, B.D., T.G. O’Connor, & T.P. Young. 2001. Growth, biomass estimates, and charcoal production of Acacia drepanolobium in Laikipia, Kenya. Forest Ecology & Management 142:143-153.

Young, T.P. & C. Francombe. 1991. Growth and yield estimates in natural stands of leleshwa (Tarconanthus camphoratus). Forest Ecology and Management 41: 309-321.

James, on 05 Jan 2008

Thanks Truman. I will look up your papers when I’m next at the museum. this is really why the internet is so great. cheers

Giles, on 14 Jan 2008

James - I fully agree with this. I am trying to introduce some lateral thinking about charcoal onto the various conservation boards I sit upon here in Laikipia. In my uninformed layman’s view you either regulate these issues through the law - unlikely and difficult, or you intervene in the marketplace and try and introduce some education on the subject through marketing messages and brands. But it is tough to break the prevailing ‘wisdom’ on this subject which seems to state in Wim’s words above that any engagement is tantamount to heresy.

James, on 14 Jan 2008

Giles,
Very glad that you and your boards are addressing this subject. the stream of wood and charcoal on bicycles to nanyuki is incredible these days but irregardless of the taboo we must begin to chat about it all. hope you, jasmina and the dogs are all well. jamie

agy, on 23 Jan 2008

hi,
i find this interesting as when we were on the coast for 6 months in 2006 it was very apparent the arubuku sokoke forest is being extremely well cut for charcoal,although as you know illegal,even the bluegum growing near mida creek they will not let it be cut.i suggested to some local coservationists about planting some blue gums nr the river where there is a lot of water so as not to damage the soil.

reply was- it’s not endemic so no.

my reply-so you will just keep losing trees, if u dont give an alternative u will lose a lot more. point.

last year while investigating another project in uganda, chk website
http://www.anadventureinafrica.com
i saw in the area that has a lot of rainfall nr the crater lakes area of queen elizabeth park a lot of ex rainforest that looks like it would really like some replacement trees.

we are looking into doing a deal with some landowners where we might do some planting of indigineous trees 30% to 40% and the rest bluegums for charcoal as they do grow back if managed correctly i believe.still in the early stages but will let you know in some months how it goes and pls let me know what you all think of the idea and of the site.

cheers all

agy

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