Early Recovery of Dry Miombo Woodlands Following Selective Charcoal Harvesting in Morogoro, Tanzania

Abstract

Miombo woodlands provide essential ecological services and livelihoods in southern Africa but are increasingly threatened by charcoal production. This study assessed early recovery of dry Miombo woodlands following selective charcoal harvesting in three districts in Morogoro Region, Tanzania. A chronosequence approach was used with 106 plots across fallow ages of 1, 3.5, and 6 years and adjacent unharvested controls. Stand structural attributes, i.e. , stem density, basal area, volume, and above-ground biomass (AGB) were quantified, and growth rates were estimated using mean annual increment (MAI) and carbon sequestration. Results revealed that stand parameters increased with fallow age, with stem density rising from about 324 trees ha − 1 in one−year fallows to about 1302 trees ha − 1 in six−year fallows. Volume MAI ranged from 3.45 to 3.90 m3 ha − 1 yr − 1 , while carbon sequestration ranged from 1.17 to 1.33 t ha − 1 yr − 1 . Although biomass and volume had not yet reached levels observed in unharvested stands, the results indicate strong early recovery and highlight the potential of selective, rotational charcoal harvesting systems to support sustainable woodland management.