Characterization of Miombo species used by rural communities as fuelwood in Northern Mozambique

Abstract

The rural population of Mozambique has a strong preference for using native tree species for fuelwoods instead of Eucalyptus wood. The reforestation projects failed to respond to the wishes of consumers who considered eucalyptus wood to be low quality compared to the native species traditionally used by the population. The present study aimed to determine the wood characteristics of Miombo woodland species which are often used as an energy source in Sanga district, northern Mozambique, and then compare the results with those found in the literature on Eucalyptus species used for the same purpose. Chemical, physical, energetic, and thermal properties were analyzed. Among all studied species, U. kirkiana and J. globiflora presented high quality of wood for energy purposes, in Northern Mozambique. These species showed high basic density and extractive contents, which are the characteristics responsible for providing high energy density, longer wood combustion duration, and higher combustion intensity. These last three characteristics are considered of greater importance for the choice of fuelwood by the communities when compared to the Eucalyptus. The Eucalyptus are fast-growing species and are recommended for selecting genotypes with high energy density and favorable combustion parameters in order to introduce new energy planting programs in Mozambique to guarantee the wood supply in a short time and the conservation of natural resources.