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

melanoxylon (Class I), Milicia excelsa (Class II) and Khaya anthoteca (Class II) started to decline in 1995
(Figure 15).
Table 21
Class composition of hardwood licences (m 3 ) issued in Kilwa District, 1992-2001
Class 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Total
Class I 169.8 178.0 202.0 108.3 81.7 160.4 10.5 910.7
Class II 723.2 1 320.3 3 779.8 2 271.6 3 720.3 1 761.0 860.8 14 437.0
Class III 1.7 0.7 22.5 24.0 63.3 73.5 185.7
Class IV 3.0 24.5 60.8 67.8 27.0 183.1
Class V 30.0 4.0 34.0
Total 896.0 1 501.0 3 982.5 2 426.9 3 886.8 2 082.5 975.8 15 750.5
Source: Kilwa District licence data, 1995-2001.
Figure 15
Relative volumes (m 3 ) of major timber species issued on licences in Kilwa District, 1995-2001
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
A fzelia quanzensis
A lbizia versicolor
Brachystegia spp.
Dalbergia melanoxylon
G rewia bicolor
K haya anthoteca
Maeopsis eminii
Milicia exelsa
Millettia stuhlm anii
P terocarpus angolensis
S wartzia madagascarensis
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Source: Kilwa District licences, 1995-2001.
Data covering species composition of harvest licences over the entire study area were available for the
years 2000 and 2001 only. Whilst it is recognized that comparison of data covering two years is not
sufficient alone to determine trends, it is useful to detect differences between successive years.
Comparison is compounded by inaccuracies in some official data sources. Nevertheless, comparison of
data between 2000 and 2001 matched the longer-term changes in species composition and preference
observed in Kilwa and Rufiji Districts. It is therefore unlikely that these changes represent random
fluctuations in trade data. Harvest licences issued in 2000 and 2001 from all six districts shows how the
proportion of Class IV and V species has increased, in contrast to the more valuable Class I, II and III
species (Figure 16).
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