Bridging the Gap: linking timber trade with infrastructural ...

(Figure 51). Regulatory options to be explored may be specific to certain species, wood products,
geographical areas and/or seasons. For example, logging and/or charcoal bans may be necessary in key
areas, and efforts are required to control the trade in small logs (‘off-cuts’) to minimize harvesting of
immature trees. Similarly, greater attention needs to be paid to areas under highest harvest pressure,
such as Ngumburuni Forest Reserve, and the following species: Dalbergia melanoxylon, Khaya
anthotheca, Milicia exelsa, Pterocarpus angolensis, Afzelia quanzensis, Millettia stuhlmannii and
Swartzia madagascarensis. Further, the degree of regulation may range from a total moratorium to
ongoing monitoring through licences and permits. The National Forest Policy (1998), Policy Statement
(14) supports this recommendation, stating: ‘Internal trade and exports of forest produce, excluding
those regulated by international agreements of which Tanzania is a party, will be promoted. To prevent
forest destruction and degradation through commercial exploitation, trade of certain forest products
may be regulated.’
Figure 51
Diagram illustrating the successive exploitation practices leading to woodland degradation.
A number of other regulatory tools should be explored to assist with exports of woodland/forest
products. These include the use of export quotas, piloting forest product certification mechanisms
(minimum biological, social and economic standards in Tanzania) and gaining further assistance of the
international community. The potential for CITES to help in achieving sustainable international trade in
timber products is becoming increasingly accepted, as it represents an established, global, mandatory
and co-ordinated system to help verify source, trade levels, legality and sustainability (Keong, 2002;
Milledge, 2003b). Options for listing species such as Dalbergia melanoxylon on CITES should be
explored.
It is important to ensure that regulatory interventions constitute socially acceptable and responsible
conservation as otherwise negative impacts of regulations on livelihoods may inadvertantly undermine
the original environmental management objectives (Roe et al., 2002; Milledge, 2003a,c).
Greater effort should be made to utilise the available information on harvest areas, which up until this
study has not been analysed. Further, it is important that forest officials certify the origin of wood
products in the field and not at checkpoints to minimise incorrect recording of harvest areas.
The specific recommendations arising from the Rufiji District Forest Action Plan are also supported by
the results of this study (Anon., 2002g; John et al., 2003).
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