This unit conducts research into the sustainable management of Zimbabwe’s indigenous forests — generating the data, growth tables and silvicultural techniques needed to restore native ecosystems for current and future generations.
Four streams of inquiry
Each builds the scientific foundation for managing indigenous forests responsibly — from growth modelling to silvicultural treatments.
Sustainable Yield Management
Methods of managing indigenous forests on a sustainable-yield basis — balancing harvest with regeneration.
Tree Growth Rates
Determining how fast indigenous species grow under varied site conditions, rainfall and management.
Thinning, Pollarding & Coppicing
Studying how silvicultural treatments shape canopy structure, regrowth and the productivity of indigenous stands.
Yield Tables
Constructing growth-and-yield tables for selected indigenous species, so managers can plan rotations with confidence.
Tree Domestication & Climate Change
How indigenous forestry contributes to Zimbabwe’s climate resilience.
Climate change demands urgent action — and forests are part of the answer.
From shifting seasons to extreme weather events like droughts and floods, the impacts of climate change are being felt worldwide. Adaptation and mitigation measures are urgently needed.
Forestry plays a vital role in this response — forests act as carbon sinks, helping reduce global warming by absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Six indigenous trees restoring our forests
Selected for their ecological importance, resilience and multiple uses — these species form the backbone of Forestry Commission restoration programmes.
Kirkia acuminata
White seringa
Afzelia quanzensis
Pod mahogany
Adansonia digitata
Baobab
Berchemia discolor
Bird plum
Colophospermum mopane
Mopane
Sclerocarya birrea
Marula
From decimation to restoration
Zimbabwe’s economy heavily depends on natural resources — including forests — for energy, livelihoods and job creation. The road to recovery has three chapters.
Historical Decimation
Forest fires, energy demand and land resettlement decimated indigenous forests. Past afforestation favoured exotic species, disrupting natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
Indigenous Restoration
Rehabilitating landscapes using indigenous species preserves biodiversity while restoring effective carbon sinks for climate resilience.
Domestication Studies
The Forestry Research Division has initiated domestication studies of regionally significant indigenous trees with multiple uses — informed by wide community consultations.
Why this research matters
Reliable data on tree growth and yield is essential for estimating restoration potential and setting regulations on indigenous tree harvesting cycles. Without it, sustainable forestry policy has no foundation.