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8. Status of Dalbergia melanoxylon

8.1 Presentation from S. Oldfield (WCMC) — An overview of the status and
distribution of Dalbergia melanoxylon

This overview paper takes the information in the CITES proposal to list Dalbergia
melanoxylon on Appendix II of the Convention as its basis. Supplementary information
has been added from the analyses of proposals to amend the Appendices of CITES
(IUCN/SSC and TRAFFIC, 1994). Recent publications and unpublished reports have
also been consulted notably the theses prepared by David Beale and Hazel Sharman at
the University of Edinburgh in the UK. Further information has also been culled from
files of the Protected Areas Data Unit and the Species Unit at the World Conservation
Monitoring Centre (WCMC). The overview information presented remains fragmented
and is mainly derived from literature and anecdotal sources. The major-need is to hear
from the people with real expertise and first hand knowledge of this globally important
species.

Distribution

Dalbergia melanoxylon has a widespread distribution in the drier parts of tropical
Africa. It occurs naturally in at least 26 countries south of the Sahara. According to
Lock (1986) indigenous populations are recorded in: Angola; Botswana; Central
African Republic; Chad; Cote d’Ivoire; Ethiopia; Burkina Faso; Kenya; Malawi;
Mozambique; Nigeria; Senegal; South Africa; Sudan; United Republic of Tanzania;
Uganda; Zaire; Zimbabwe. The species is atso reported to occur in Cameroon, Benin,
Entrea, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Togo and Zambia. Outside Africa, Dalbergia melanoxylon
has also become naturalized in parts of India and possibly elsewhere in Asia.

Table 1 summarizes information on the distribution of Dalbergia melanoxylon within a
number of its range countries. The table is currently incomplete, with information par-
ticularly patchy for the West African region. This mainly reflects the availability of
information in the literature and from limited enquiries to experts in the UK. There are,
for example, very few West African herbarium records for the species at the Oxford
Forestry Institute (Hawthorne, in litt. 1995) and the survey of herbarium records
undertaken at Kew (see below) did not provide much data for the region. No doubt we
can add to this table substantially during the meeting or in follow-up enquiries to local
experts.

30

Table 1. Distribution within African countries

Sparsely distributed in NE along the Zimbabwean border

Kenya
provinces

Widely distributed
Recorded from the Rio Savo to the north of the country
Occurs in the north with records from Kano, Bauchi, Bornu and Adamawa

South Africa

Distribution

Recorded from Cuando in Cubango

Primarily occurs along the coast and in the dry southern and northern

Common from the Mozambique border through the eastern Transvaal

Occurs in patches along the savanna belt which extends from the Blue Nile

Province, South Kordofan Province northwards to the foot of the Jebel Marra

Originally mainly in the central thorn-brush country, now reported as most

frequent in mixed deciduous forests and savannas of the coastal region. Found
in Kagera, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Mara, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Usambara Mts,

Tabora, Kigoma, Rukwa, Singida, Dodoma, Morogoro, Ruvuma, Mtwara, Lindi.

Found in Bunyoro, West Nile, Madi, Acholi, Karamoja and Mbale Districts;
limited to areas of low elevation, below 1000 m.

Known from Kasai, Lake Albert and Haut-Katanga

Occurs in the southern and eastern half of the country, comprising Western,

Southern and Eastern Provinces, the southern half of Central Province and

parts of Mpika, Chinsali and Isoka districts

Zimbabwe Widespread and common at low altitudes

Sources: CITES proposal; IUCN/SSC and TRAFFIC, 1994; Fontés and Guinko, 1995

Detailed distribution data for Dalbergia melanoxylon does not appear to be currently
available. Forest inventories have been carried out within the range of the species, for
example, within Tanzania and Zimbabwe, but no inventories specifically for Dalbergia
melanoxylon are known.

Sharman (1995) compiled data from herbarium specimens at Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew, UK; National Museums of Kenya and the Botany Department of the University
of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and has compiled maps based on the geographical informa-
tion on the specimen sheets. It is interesting to note that only six out of over 230
herbarium specimens recorded gave geographical co-ordinates. A copy of the data has
been given to WCMC and it is hoped that we can supplement the data and develop a
comprehensive range map for the species using GIS.

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Habitat

Dalbergia melanoxylon occurs in a range of woodland habitats throughout Africa
including deciduous savannah woodlands, wooded grassland and bushland. In West
Africa, Dalbergia melanoxylon occurs in savannah vegetation of the Sudan zone, which
has an affinity with the Miombo and Mopane savannas of Southern Africa.

The mean minimum temperature in its native range is 18°C and the maximum 35°C
with no frost. Annual rainfall averages 700-1200 mm, often distributed on a bimodal
pattern of 3-6 months. Soils vary from loamy sands to clayey vertisols (‘black cotton
soils’). The species is water- and light-demanding. It is more common near water and
will not regenerate under heavy cover.

Conservation status

Although Dalbergia melanoxylon has a wide distribution, there is general agreement
that the species has declined significantly in abundance and that it is now scattered in
occurrence. Recent concern about decline in populations of Dalbergia melanoxylon
have focused on populations in eastern Africa. It was recorded as fairly plentiful in the
United Republic of Tanzania in the 1930s (Grant, 1934), for example, but by the 1980s
concern was noted about the rapid depletion of the species within the country and the
limited regeneration (Hall, 1988). Populations in Tanzania have continued to be deplet-
ed by overexploitation and inadequate control of fires (Read, 1993). Estimates have sug-
gested that no more than 20 years’ supply remains in the country and loggers are hav-
ing to travel up to 200 km to find large trees to harvest.

In Kenya, the species is reported to be declining due to habitat loss, in particular con-
version of land to agriculture, and exploitation for the carving and furniture industries.
The species was formerly common along the coast and in the Shimba Hills, but now is
apparently becoming rare.

In Uganda, the species is still quite abundant in some areas and its status is considered
to be stable. Nshubemuki (1994) points out, however, that fire and drought are affect-
ing the ability of the species to regenerate and that few seedlings reach maturity. Although
not currently overexploited in the country, harvest might increase due to demand from
Kenya.

In the Sudan, D. melanoxylon is considered to be threatened and its range is retreating
southwards due to exploitation for fuelwood, furniture, and carvings. The clay plains or
grass savannah areas where the species occurs are being converted to zones for mecha-
nized agriculture and other forms of habitat loss also threaten the species within the
country.

There has been less documented concern about the decline of D. melanoxylon in west
African countries but Geerling (1985) noted that in the savannah vegetation of the
Sudan zone exploitation has resulted in the ‘practical disappearance of trees of any size,
although the species as such is not necessarily endangered’. Timber of the species is
reported to be a major trade commodity in savannah areas of the region, particularly in

32

Senegal (Lapido, 1994) where felling is controlled by law (Loi No. 74-46, 18.7.74
Portant Code Forestier).

In southern Africa, the species is considered to be widespread and common in
Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa. The wood is one of the most valuable ornament
and turnery umbers within the country (Drummond, 1981) but exports to Europe,
attempted about 10 years ago were not successful because it was found that the wood
was not of the desired quality.

In South Africa, Dalbergia melanoxylon is common from the Mozambique border
through the entire eastern Transvaal. In southern Africa, the natural range of the species
has not decreased and the species is not considered to be overexploited in South Africa.

The main area of concern within southern Africa has apparently been in Mozambique.
In the 1960s it was recorded as being rare due to intensive exploitation, whereas it had
previously been abundant within the country (Gomes e Sousa, 1967). Recently Dalbergia
melanoxylon has been included in a preliminary list of threatened plants of Mozambique.
It has been suggested that to work further on this preliminary list and to apply cate-
gories of threat analysis of herbarium voucher specimens is required together with in
situ observations and information from neighbouring countries (Bandeira et al., 1994).

The IUCN Categories of Threat

The IUCN categories of threat are the most widely used assessments of species conser-
vation status. The categories of Endangered; ‘Vulnerable, Rare, Indeterminate and Not
Threatened were replaced in November 1994 by a new system with published criteria
for determining the category of threat. The new threat categories are: Critically
Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable.

A first attempt to apply the new categories for Dalbergia melanoxylon was made by
Sharman (1995). She proposes that the species should be classified as either ‘Vulnerable’
or at the very least “Near Threatened’. One of the criterion for the category

‘Vulnerable’ is that the global population size has reduced by at least 20% over the last
10 years or three generations. As pointed out by Sharman (1995), there is no quantita-
tive information on which to reach such a conclusion for mpingo but from the informa-
tion that is available it is probable that there has been such a decline.

Genetic erosion

There is widespread concern that D. melanoxylon is suffering from genetic erosion, par-
ticularly in East Africa. Experts contacted in the analysis of the CITES proposal
(IUCN/SSC and TRAFFIC, 1994) assert that exploitation and habitat loss are resulting
in alteration of population structure; there are fewer large trees, and in many popula-
tions only young and deformed trees remain. The concern is that, while as a whole the
species is not threatened with extinction, the genetic diversity of the species is deterio-
rating.

33

Presence of Dalbergia melanoxylon in protected areas

Based on current information, it is difficult to assess the extent to which populations of
Dalbergia melanoxylon occur within protected areas. It would be useful to know where
populations are safe in order to protect a comprehensive range of genetic variation.
Relatively few protected areas in Africa appear to have comprehensive botanical inven-
tories, at least from accessible information. The Protected Areas Data Unit at WCMC
maintains information on protected areas world-wide. All the files for countries where
Dalbergia melanoxylon occur were scanned recently to see where the species is record-
ed. Table 2 summarizes the results. One possible next step would be to produce maps
of the protected-area distribution and compare this with the known range of the species
to predict where populations are likely to have some form of protection.

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Table 2. Dalbergia melanoxylon in protected areas

Country Protected Area (PA) Notes
Botswana Chobe National Park
Central African Rep. Saint Floris National Park eile ey Weta oaglneen yor

Reserve de faune de Ouadi Rime - Area of PA — 8,000,000 ha.

Ouadi Achim confined to wetter areas

Kenya Tsavo National Park
Meru National Park
Malawi Liwonde National Park

Lengwe Game Reserve
Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve

Mwabvi Game Reserve

Majete Game Reserve

Bandiagara Escarpment Natural and Dalbergia melanoxylon

Mali
Cultural Sanctuary present in plain of Douentza.

Tanzania Mikumi National Park f
Ruaha National Park found in Brachystegia zone:
between 1100-1800 metres;
often in poorly drained and
swampy habitats.
Selous Game Reserve
Ngonogoro Conservation Area

Lake Manyara Natonal Park

Mkomazi Game Reserve

Uganda Kidepo National Park
Zimbabwe Hwange National Park

Source: Protected Areas Data Unit files at WCMC: Sharman (1995).

Research
Recent research on Dalbergia melanoxylon by conservation organizations has concen-
trated on collecting information on levels of trade and the impacts on wild populations.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provided assistance to the

Government of Tanzania through two short term missions in 1987 and 1988 which
looked at the availability and use of mpingo resources.

35

The Fauna and Flora Preservation Society (now FFI) launched its Ebonies and
Rosewoods Project in December 1993, to enure the long-term survival of ecologically
and economically viable populations of the timber species used in musical instrument
manufacture. One of the first activities was to commission a study in Tanzania, ‘to pro-
vide a baseline of information which can be used to gain an understanding of the prob-
lem of overexploitation of mpingo’ (Platt and Evison, 1994).

FFI has also provided funding for research visits to Tanzania and Kenya by two post-
graduate students of Edinburgh University, Hazel Sharman and David Beale.

The use and conservation implications of use of Dalbergia melanoxylon in Kenya have
been researched by consultants to TRAFFIC International with financial support from
the Kenya Indigenous Forest Conservation Programme. Information was collected
mainly by interviews with timber users and individuals knowledgeable about the tim-
ber trade within the country.

As part of the conservation effort for Dalbergia melanoxylon silvicultural research is
being undertaken in Tanzania. The country’s 10-year National Forestry Research
Master Plan identifies the species as a priority for improvement and 7m situ conserva-
tion. Research already carried out includes species and provenance trials, comparison of
establishment techniques, assessment of planting material, improvement of tree growth
and form, and studies of natural regeneration (Nshubemuki, 1994).

In general the short-term studies have highlighted the paucity of information on
Dalbergia melanoxylon and the need for more extensive and intensive research. The
range of research needs recently identified include:

1 Surveys and inventories to establish the distribution and abundance of Dalbergia
melanoxylon in all range states (Sharman, 1995).

2 Assessment of conservation status at a global and national level.

3 Inventory of miombo woodland resources in Tanzania including extent and nature
of commercial timber, non-timber products, environmental functions and local uses;
and long-term study of biological productivity of forest resources (Beale, 1995).
Inventory of mpingo stocks within the country (Platt and Evison, 1994)

4 Establishment of research areas for investigation into silviculture and fire protection
to facilitate regeneration and ensure sustainability.

5 Provenance trials and seed sources (Platt and Evison, 1994).

6 Increased germplasm collection, conservation and evaluation in West Africa
(Ladipo, 1994).

7 Improved methods of wood use (Platt and Evison, 1994).

36

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