The ethnobotany and ecological status of Albizia coriaria Welw. ex Oliv. in Budondo Sub-county, eastern Uganda
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Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Journal of Ecology
Abstract
Useful trees are believed to be threatened. However, most
evidence about these concerns is anecdotal. The objectives
of this study were to document uses of Albizia coriaria
Welw. ex Oliv., local harvesting patterns, perceptions
about the species population dynamics, as well as local
attitudes to its conservation. A further objective was to
determine its availability, distribution and population
structure. The study was carried out using ethnobotanical
and quantitative ecological methods. The species was
found to be multipurpose and produced fourteen different
products and services. The most frequently mentioned
products were herbal medicines, sawn timber and wood for
construction. Individuals of the species were sometimes
felled to harvest wood. Community responses indicated
that the species was rare and was declining in the area.
The quantitative inventory supported this community
view: the species had a low density (33 individuals, >5 cm
diameter at breast height per ha) and a flat size class distribution
with a calculated least-squares regression slope of
)0.0357. The species population appeared to be threatened
by clearing of land for crop agriculture, human
population growth, logging and a poor attitude to its
conservation. Respondents claimed that they were not
interested in conserving it because they had a low appreciation
of its true value; lacked land, propagation material
and skills; or because the species was slow growing.
Description
Keywords
Agroforestry, Community forestry
Citation
Tabuti, JR, & Mugula, BB (2007). The ethnobotany and ecological status of Albizia coriaria Welw. ex Olivier. in Budondo Sub‐county, eastern Uganda. African Journal of Ecology , 45 , 126-129.