Does tenure influence sustainable use? The ecological impacts of harvesting baobab (Adansonia digitata)

Abstract

AbstractUsing the lens of the baobab tree, this paper explores the ecological outcomes of different tenurial arrangements and implications for resource sustainability. With the emergence of markets for baobab products, a central concern is to confirm whether use patterns differ across different tenure regimes and, if so, their ecological outcomes. The study is based on an ecological survey in Zimbabwe of 244 baobab trees located across three tenure regimes – communal, private and state – and also draws on interviews with key informants. The results suggest that tenure has a strong influence on the sustainability of baobab harvesting. Based on identified parameters of ecological sustainability, trees under state tenure were shown to be harvested unsustainably, and showed excessive bark harvesting, while those under private and communal tenure had fewer signs of debarking and produced more fruits, suggesting their use was more sustainable. Excessive bark harvesting was found to negatively affect fruit and bark production and, to a lesser extent, the overall health of the tree. The research illustrates that in order to understand ecologically sustainable use, an understanding of resource use patterns across different tenure regimes is crucial, suggesting the design of bespoke interventions to manage the use of natural resources in different tenure systems.