Extinction Threat to Tree Species from Firewood Use in the Wake of Electric Power Cuts: A Case Study of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

摘要

The present study was carried out as a survey to find out the harvesting and consumption patterns of firewood in the wake of electric power cuts that are currently being experienced in the entire Zimbabwean nation. The survey was carried out in Bulawayo and it covered randomly selected high-density and medium- density residential areas. Interviewer-completed and semi-structured questionnaires were administered to residents in the selected residential areas. The average mass of a firewood bundle was measured using a balance. Firewood was found to be the most popular alternative energy source in the absence of electricity (76%), followed by paraffin (10%), gas (7%), jelly fuel (6%) and finally coal (1%). Residents were found to prefer indigenous energy tree species to exotic ones with Colophospermum mopane (39%), Acacias (24%) and Ziziphus mucronata (16%) being the most popular ones while Eucalyptus, Jacaranda and Pine are used in very rare cases. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in mean mass of firewood consumed between high and medium-density suburbs, with the former consuming more (1.79 tonnes per household) than the latter (1.13 tonnes per household). A high positive correlation was also noted between the duration of power cuts and the use of firewood.