Forestry in Rwanda
Senior 2 · Geography and Environment
Forestry in Rwanda
Lesson 3 of 3
20 min
Sustainable development means meeting today's needs without destroying the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Forests test that idea directly. Cut too many trees and the soil, water and fuel run out; cut none and families have nothing to cook with or build with. Rwanda set a national target of 30% forest cover and has pledged to restore degraded landscapes on a very large scale. This lesson asks how forestry can support development for good.
| Area | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Economic | Timber, poles and fuelwood; jobs in sawmills, carpentry, furniture and charcoal trade; tourism in Nyungwe, the Volcanoes and Gishwati; honey and medicinal plants |
| Environmental | Protects water catchments and soils; reduces floods and landslides; stores carbon; shelters wildlife |
| Social | Shade, fruit and fodder on farms; building materials for homes and schools; cultural and recreational value; research at places such as the Arboretum of Ruhande |
A family's 2-hectare eucalyptus woodlot adds about 20 m³ of wood per hectare each year. What is the most wood the family can cut each year without shrinking the woodlot? What happens if they cut 60 m³ a year?
The growth figure is illustrative, but the rule is general: cut ≤ growth.
Eucalyptus, introduced in colonial times, now makes up most of Rwanda's planted forest.
Tip
Memory hook: "Cut ≤ Grow, Replant, Protect the source". Those three phrases sum up sustainable forestry. In "evaluate" questions on eucalyptus, always give a for, an against, and a balanced verdict.
Solution: meeting present needs without harming future generations' ability to meet theirs.
Solution: 3 × 15 = 45 m³ per year.
Solution: advantage: grows fast (and coppices); disadvantage: uses a lot of water (and supports little wildlife).
Solution: building materials for homes and fruit, shade and fodder on farms (also recreation, research).
Solution: 6 × 0.4 = 2.4 kg a day; 2.4 × 365 = 876 kg a year.
Summary
Sources and credits
The development table, the principles, the worked example, the eucalyptus discussion and the practice items are written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
