A. Species
Scientific name: Zanthoxylum chalybeum
Common name(s): Knob wood, Oloisuki, Mkunungu
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Least Concern
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
- Tanzania, United Republic of
Country/Region: Tanzania / Manyara Region
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: Sub-national / Sub-region / Sub-State
Name/Details of location: Simanjiro district / Villages of Terrat, Loiborsoit A, Londrekess, Naberera, and Namalulu
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2020
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Gathering/Cutting/Collecting terrestrial plants and fungi or their products from the wild
Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal and Non-Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: Only parts or products of the organism
Purpose(s) of end use: Medicine and hygiene and Energy
Motivation of use: Basic subsistence and Income generation from trade (individual/household/community)
Is this use legal or illegal?: Unknown/not recorded
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study.
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The study explains that the most used plant parts for medicinal purposes were roots and the stem bark (90.3% and 81.6%, respectively), such that harvesting causes high shrub mortality rates. In addition to unsustainable harvesting methods, minimal and unpredictable propagation methods were the key factors affecting recruitment rate, compounded by climate and land-use change (93.2%). Given these challenges, the future conservation and persistence of Z. chalybeum looks uncertain.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Knob wood is locally very important to traditional culture, socio-economics (especially for women, who undertake most harvesting) and has important medicinal properties used in traditional healthcare; however, unsustainable harvesting practices and rates currently render these important uses unsustainable.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Knob wood is locally very important to traditional culture, socio-economics (especially for women, who undertake most harvesting) and has important medicinal properties used in traditional healthcare; however, unsustainable harvesting practices and rates currently render these important uses unsustainable.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Knob wood is locally very important to traditional culture, socio-economics (especially for women, who undertake most harvesting) and has important medicinal properties used in traditional healthcare; however, unsustainable harvesting practices and rates currently render these important uses unsustainable.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
This study concludes that the future conservation and persistence of Z. chalybeum looks uncertain, which requires the provision of education and awareness, and ensuring proper land-use plans that encompass active recruitment of the species in these areas. Avoiding girdling, collection of only a few roots per plant, covering the remainder with soil after digging, and removing the bark from the opposite quarters of the trunks are all measures that would better sustainable harvest of Z. chalybeum. Furthermore, Z. chalybeum domestication should be a priority in order to have a resource bank of Z. chalybeum instead of depending on resources in the wild. Finally, improving modern healthcare facilities would also reduce the pressure on harvesting and dependence on Z. chalybeum in the wild.
Record source
Information about the record source: scientific_pub
Date of publication/issue/production: 2020-01-01T00:00:00+0000
Source Reference(s):
Date of record entry: 2023-01-10