Abundance and Population Structure of Locally Useful Indigenous Woody Plants in a Sedentary Grazing System in South-Western Uganda

Abstract

This study engaged 100 pastoralists and conducted a plant inventory in 13.5 ha of grazing lands to determine the locally useful indigenous woody plant species, their abundance and population structure in a sedentary grazing system in South-western Uganda. Through descriptive and inferential statistics, 40 shrubs and 30 tree species were identified. The species were useful sources of animal medicine (85.7%), human medicine (80%), fodder and firewood (57.1%), poles (50%), timber (42.9%), shade (24.3%), food (21.3%) and raw materials for crafts (10%). Albizia coriaria, Acacia hockii, Acacia sieberiana, Carissa edulis and Vernonia amygdalina were the major woody plants used. For food and fodder, the woody plants were only utilized during the dry season but for other purposes, the species were resorted to any season in the year. Plant inventory recorded 39 woody plant species. Acacia hockii and Rhus natalensis existed in all the ranches and were the most abundant species (29.4% and 10.9% respectively). The average plant density was 35 trees/shrubs-ha. Inverse J shape, bimodal but mostly irregular pattern were the population structure types displayed. Thus, for sustainable sedentary pastoralism in Uganda, use of indigenous woody plant species requires policy supported conservation and enrichment planting, building the capacity of pastoralists in propagation and aided natural regeneration techniques for woody plants and scientific analyses to strengthen diversified use of the major woody plant species.