Copyright 2000, Environmental News Network
November 23, 2000
By Susanne Schmitt

More than 50,000 trees per year are cut in Kenya for use by woodcarvers.

Tourists in Kenya flock to souvenir shops and stalls that sell beautiful hardwood carvings made from muhugu ‘mahogany’ (Brachylaena huillensis) or ‘mpingo’ ebony (Dalbergia melanoxylon). Hardly anyone leaves without a carving of a spectacular African animal, which they might have seen on safari, or a beautifully crafted article such as salad spoons.

Little do they know the history behind these carvings and the impact their purchase has on the last remaining forests of Kenya.

Mutisya Munge, a member of the Wakamba tribe, learned his carving skills from the Makonde people when stationed in German East Africa (now Tanzania) during World War I. On his return to Kenya, he began to carve, and this one-man industry has mushroomed to support 60,000-80,000 carvers, 300,000-350,000 apprentices and an export value of US $20 million per year.

In recent years, however, the industry has become threatened because of increased depletion of hardwood resources. The felling of more than 50,000 trees per year for carving alone poses a major conservation problem, degrading forest habitat and leading to the loss of nest sites and shelter for rare, forest-dependent animals.

Many plants and animals in the coastal forests of East Africa, whence most of the carving wood originates, are found nowhere else on Earth. Spectacular birds such as the Sokoke Scops owl and mammals such as the curious, golden-rumped elephant shrew, are losing their homes – hollow logs. It has been calculated that up to half of all mahogany logs used by carvers are hollow.

Carvers are aware of the threat to their livelihoods and have identified tree species such as neem (Azadirachta indica ), jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) and grevillea (Grevillea robusta) as alternatives. These species, referred to as ‘good woods’, can be harvested with minimal ecological impact and their increased use will generate extra income to the farmers who grow them.

Over the past four years, the People and Plants Initiative, a joint initiative of the conservation organization WWF, UNESCO and Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, has been working to raise awareness among carvers about the opportunities of switching to these alternative species. For instance, a play with Wakamba carvers as actors has traveled the circuit of major cooperatives, spreading the message that there is a need to change to prevent loss of livelihoods.

Tourist demand fuels the woodcarving trade. Here a shop in Kenya displays hundreds of carvings.

But carvers are familiar with the hardwoods and have few incentives to make the switch. Hardwoods cost little more than good woods. Carving hardwoods is also more convenient, because there is no need to cure the timber first.

The key is to give carvers an incentive to switch to good woods. People and Plants is using posters and a video to convey the message to prospective buyers.

So, how can a potential buyer distinguish good wood carvings from hardwood carvings in a craft shop?

Certification gives consumers an ethical choice. Adopting the label endorsed by the independent Forest Stewardship Council will guarantee to the consumer that the wood from which the product is made comes from well-managed natural forests, plantations or, in the case of woodcarving, farm-produced trees.

The People and Plants Programme has embarked on a campaign to achieve FSC certification for Kenyan carvings and raise awareness among importers, exporters and tourists about this alternative.

Much progress has already been made. A pilot cooperative is working on fulfilling the preconditions for certification, such as the development of a management plan. At the second International FSC Trade Fair in the UK in June, People and Plants used the Kenyan work as a case study to raise awareness about the need to reduce the costs and administrative burden of getting FSC certification.

Susanne Schmitt coordinates the People and Plants Programme and works with the WWF International Plants Conservation Unit. She filed a version of this report for WWF. Error: Unable to read footer file.