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

medicinal plants for curing illnesses (Marshall, 1998; Anon., 2001a,b). A total of around 1000 species
are used in traditional medicine, with at least 98 traded in urban centres (Mariki et al., 2003).
Commercially valuable timber species in Tanzania include Pterocarpus angolensis, Milicia excelsa,
Ocotea usambarensis, Khaya anthotheca, Elea welwitschii, Brachystegia speciformis, Cephalosphera
usambarensis, Afzelia quanzensis, Beilschmiedia kweo, Millettia stuhlmannii, Brachylaena huillensis,
Dalbergia melanoxylon, Grevillea robusta, Newtonia buchananii, and Podocarpus spp. (Anon., 2000c;
Roe et al., 2002). The main sources of hardwood timber include the miombo woodlands of Tabora and
Rukwa Regions, the coastal forests and miombo woodlands of Kilwa, Liwale and Lindi Districts, and
some highland pockets in Morogoro and Tanga Regions. Coastal forests were subjected to heavy
commercial logging pressure during the 1950s and early 1960s, continuing until the 1980s and beyond in
some areas (Burgess et al., 1996). Miombo woodlands harbour particularly high value, export-quality
hardwood timber species such as Pterocarpus angolensis, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Milicia excelsa,
Khaya anthotheca and Afzelia quanzensis (Munyanziza et al., 1999). For example, the retail price for
African Blackwood Dalbergia melanoxylon export-quality billets reaches up to USD 18 000/m 3 (Jenkins
et al., 2002; Nshubemuki, 1993). Pit sawyers supply over half of the total domestic demand for forest
wood (Wells et al., 2000).
A total of almost TZS 3412 million (USD 4.21 million) in forest revenue was collected by central
government during 2000/2001, out of which two-thirds originated from plantations (projects) and onethird
from timber harvested from central government Forest Reserves. Figure 5 illustrates how revenue
collection from Forest Reserves was particularly high in districts around Dar es Salaam, a reflection of
both relative forest product trade levels and relative revenue collection capacity levels (e.g. capacity is
highest along major trunk roads entering Dar es Salaam). Local governments are also highly dependent
on forest-derived revenue. For example, Rufiji District derives some 60% of its locally derived income
from forests (John et al., 2003).
Figure 5
Revenue collection (TZS) from central government Forest Reserves, 2000/2001
Source: Anon. (2001b).
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