Forest researchers reducing maturity period for charcoal tree species
Apr 27, 2019
The species include Combretum Collinum (Mukoola),Combretum Molle (Ndagi), Pillostigma Thoningi (Mugaali) Terminalia Glaucescens (Omukaara muyati) and Grewia Mollis “Nkomankoma.
Forest researchers under the National Forest Resources Researches Institute (NARO-NaFFORI) have embarked on new research aimed at reducing the maturity period of five charcoal tree species.
The species include Combretum Collinum (Mukoola),Combretum Molle (Ndagi), Pillostigma Thoningi (Mugaali) Terminalia Glaucescens (Omukaara muyati) and Grewia Mollis "Nkomankoma.
Bernard Fungo, a research officer at NaFFORI explains that due to the fact that people's response towards tree planting is still low, this triggered a study on some savanna trees to see how best they can help in reducing pressure on Uganda's forests.
"We identified those species that are suited for charcoal and we are now trying to see what we can do to encourage people to plant them. One limitation has been on germination of the seedlings of these trees and what we have done is to propagate these species using cuttings, "he said.
He explained that the institute has done studies on the most appropriate way to produce these trees through cutting to bypass the challenge of dormancy of the seeds.
"The challenge has been that getting the seedlings of these trees is not easy due to the dormancy of the seeds, so we are improving this by developing vegetative propagation method in order to encourage farmers to plant a large number of trees for charcoal.
"We have five species we are investigating and we have now looked at which material that is appropriate for propagating vegetatively and within a few months, we shall be able to produce a write up of which species and the procedure of producing them, "he said
He explained that when trees are not propagated they can take 10 to 15 years but when propagated with cutting they can grow in about seven years.
"We are addressing the challenge of the number of trees available for making charcoal; we want to improve how quickly a tree can grow so that we can make charcoal out of them.
It is difficult to avoid making charcoal but we can plant our own trees and make our own charcoal instead of waiting for the conventional ones to grow slowly because if we have those ones which can grow first we can use them to make charcoal, "he explained.
He said this will also address forest degradation where the demand for charcoal has increased
He said the institute is also working towards producing paper because much of the paper used locally is first class imported paper.
"As the forest sector, we have the potential to manufacture paper from trees but the challenge has been that we have the technology of producing paper but we don't have the investment to enhance massive production of paper.
So we have tried to identify the technology that can be used to use less charcoal and therefore meet the demands for many.
What we have done is to develop energy efficient stoves which can consume 70% less charcoal and we encourage people to use them to allow the forests rejuvenate as tree cutting is reduced,
"What is required now is to transform this technology into the industry by planting large areas of eucalyptus and establishing an industry that can be able to consume these trees and transform them into paper, "he added
He revealed that NARO has done research on the species that are suitable for papermaking like first growing eucalyptus which has been bled to grow first and is ideal for paper production.
He observed that the paper industry requires a lot of plantation before thinking about the industry with enough raw materials.
"This means that so many trees will be planted within a short period of time to feed the factory which consumes so many trees within a short period of time, "he reported.
Agaba Hillary the Director NaFFORI decried inadequate funding to the institute which is paralyzing a lot of researches going on.