12. Priority Species for Conservation, Improvement and Seed Procurement

Several indigenous and exotic tree species were identified as requiring attention in the form of conservation, improvement and seed procurement. The species identified are either under severe threat of extinction, genetic impoverishment or are particularly useful that they require genetic improvement to improve the supply of their products. The activities identified include identification of superior sources (provenances), germplasm collection, designing appropriate in situ and ex situ conservation programme. Both indigenous and exotic species were identified as important. Although the list of important species varied from country to country indicating the diversity of the 11 countries, there were some species that were identified by at least five or more countries. The identified tree species include exotic industrial tree species, indigenous timber species, agroforestry tree species and indigenous fruit tree species. Table 8 is based on country reports and inputs by participants to the SADC Regional Workshop on Forest and Tree Genetic Resources, Arusha, Tanzania and shows, the most important indigenous tree species requiring immediate conservation, improvement and germplasm collection.

Table 8: Species identified as high priority for action in eastern and southern Africa and ranking of the appropriate action based on country reports and other recent publications

Species	Exploration and germplasm collection			Evaluation, improvement and seed supply			Conservation		Remarks
Species	Biological information	Genecological studies	Germplasm collection and research	Field testing and evaluation	Selection and breeding	Seed Supply	Ex situ	In situ	Remarks
Pterocarpus angolensis	1 B1, Mal2, Mo2, N1, Sw2, T-, Za1, Zi1	2 B*, Mal-, Mo2, N2, Sw2, T-, Za2, Zi1	2 B1, Mal2, Mo1, N3, Sw2, T3, Za1, Zi1	2 B*, Mal2, Mo2, N2, Sw2, T-, Za1, Zi-	2 B1, Mal2, Mo2, N1, Sw3, T2, Za2, Zi-	2 B1, Mal2, Mo3, N3, Sw1, T*, Za2, Zi-	2 B2, Mal2, Mo-, N1, Sw2, T3, Za1, Zi1	1 B1, Mal1, Mo-, N1, Sw2, T1, Za1, Zi2	Timber species Over exploited Slow growing, fire prone
Sclerocarya birrea	2 B2, Mal1, N2, Sw3, Zi2	2 B1, Mal-, N2, Sw2, Zi2	2 B, Mal, N1, Sw2, Zi2*	1 B, Mal, N1, Sw1, Zi1*	1 B*, Mal2, N1, Sw1, Zi1	2 B*, Mal2, N3, Sw2, Zi2	2 B-, Mal12, N3, Sw2, Zi2	3 B3, Mal1, N3, Sw3, Zi3	Fruit tree, Oil Priority for domestication by ICRAF, Sustains livelihoods of rural families
Milicia excelsa	2 Mal2, Mo2, T-, Zi1	2 Mal-, Mo3, T-, Zi1	1 Mal1, Mo1, T-, Zi1	2 Mal2, Mo3, T-, Zi1	2 Mal2, Mo3, T2, Zi1	2 Mal2, Mo3, T*, Zi1	2 Mal2, Mo-, T2, Zi1	1 Mal1, Mo-, T-, Zi1	Timber species Overexploited
Baikiaea plurijuga	2 B2, N1, Za3, Zi3	1 B1, N1, Za1, Zi3	2 B1, N3, Za1, Zi3	2 B2, N1, Za2, Zi3	2 B2, N1, Za3, Zi-	3 B2, N3, Za3, Zi-	2 B2, N1, Za2, Zi-	1 B-, N1, Za1, Zi1	High value timber species Overexploited Regen. Difficult
Afzelia quanzensis	2 Mal2, Mo2, T-, Za2, Zi2	2 Mal-, Mo2, T-, Za3, Zi2	1 Mal1, Mo1, T-, Za3, Zi2	2 Mal2, Mo2, T-, Za1, Zi-	2 Mal2, Mo3, T2, Za32 Zi-	3 Mal2, Mo3, T*, Za3, Zi-	2 Mal2, Mo1*, T2, Za2, Zi-	2 Mal1, Mo1*, T-, Za-, Zi3	Timber, shade, shelter species. Overexploited
Dalbergia melanoxylon	2 Mal2, Mo2, T-, Za2	3 Mal-, Mo3, T-, Za2	1 Mal1, Mo1*, T-, Za1	2 Mal-, Mo3, T-, Za1	3 Mal2, Mo3, T3, Za2	2 Mal2, Mo3, T*, Za2	2 Mal1, Mo-, T2, Za1	2 Mal1, Mo-, T1, Za2	Durable timber species. Overexploited
Khaya anthotheca	2 Mal2, Mo1*, T-, Za2	2 Mal-, Mo2, T-, Za2	1 Mal1, Mo1*, T-, Za1	2 Mal1, Mo1*, T-, Za2	2 Mal, Mo1, T2, Za2	2 Mal2, Mo2, T*, Za2	1 Mal1, Mo*, T-, Za1	1 Mal1, Mo1, T1, Za2	Timber species Overexploited
Faidherbia albida	2 B2, Mal1* Za2, Zi1	2 B1, Mal-, Za3, Zi2	1 B1, Mal* Za1, Zi1*	2 B, Mal Za2, Zi1*	3 B3, Mal* Za3, Zi2	3 B3, Mal1, Za3, Zi2	2 B-, Mal1 Za2, Zi2	2 B2, Mal1, Za2, Zi2	Fodder, firewood, agroforestry, soil improvement
Colophosper-mum mopane	2 Bo*, Mal2, Na2	2 Bo2, Mal-, Na1	2 Bo3, Mal2, Na2	1 Bo*, Mal2, Na1	2 Bo3, Mal2, Na1	3 Bo3, Mal2, Na2	2 Bo2, Mal2, Na2	1 Bo2, Mal1, Na1	Fuelwood, timber, poles Drought tolerant
Warbugia salutaris	1 Mo2, Zi1	2 Mo3, Zi1	1 Mo1, Zi1	1 Mo2, Zi1	1 Mo2, Zi1	1 Mo2, Zi1	1 Mo-, Zi1	1 Mo1, Zi1	Food species Medicinal Endangered
Uapaca kirkiana	1 Mal1*, Mo2, T2, Za1, Zi1	1 Mal1, Mo2, T2, Za1, Zi1	1 Mal, Mo2, T2, Za1, Zi1*	1 Mal, Mo2, T2, Za1, Zi1	2 Ma2, Mo2, T2, Za2, Zi2	2 Ma2, Mo2, T2, Za2, Zi2	3 Mal3, Mo3, T3, Za3, Zi3	2 Mal1, Mo2, T2, Za2, Zi2	Fruit tree Sustains rural livelihoods. Priority species for domestication by ICRAF

Countries: B: Botswana, L: Lesotho: Mal: Malawi, Mau: Mauritius, Mo: Mozambique, N: Namibia; SA: South Africa, Sw: Swaziland, Za: Zambia, Zi: Zimbabwe.

Legend: 1 = Top priority, action urgently needed; 2 = Action within the next 5 years; 3 = Action within the next 10 years; - Action may not be required; * Action in progress or completed.

2: Average priority index of the countries involved; Mo3, Zi1 Priority index by individual; country