Timber management practices and timber species used by small scale furniture workshops in Uganda

Abstract

A study was done in Kampala District, Central Uganda, to document the timber species and timber management practices used in furniture workshops. A check list was used to document the common timber species, their grades, moisture contents and related timber management practices in furniture workshops. Results showed that Albizia coriaria, Markhamia lutea and Chrysophyllum albidum were the most common species while Khaya spp, Milicia excelsa and Olea spp were the least used species in the furniture workshops. Sixty nine percent of the furniture workshops lacked timber storage sheds, whereas only 3% had the recommended timber stacks. Majority (95%) of the carpenters in the furniture workshops did not season timber and hence the moisture content of the timber ranged from 31% to 35%. Forty nine percent of the workshops exposed their finished products to environmental and weather deterioration. The commonest type of wood waste was planer shavings which were not utilised effectively. Since 97% of carpenters did not grade timber, the quality of their products was inherently poor. The study concluded that several lesser known timber species were used for making furniture amidst very poor timber management. The study recommends that the government of Uganda through its policyimplementing arms should create awareness programmes to carpenters on efficient timber management practices. Further research on physical, processing and strength properties of the documented species should be undertaken so as to improve their utilisation.