What is blackwood?

East African Blackwood is a small tree; its scientific name is Dalbergia melanoxylon and it is called mpingo in Swahili.

Where is blackwood found?

African Blackwood grows from Senegal to Ethiopia, and down to South Africa, however most commercial harvesting occurs in Tanzania and Mozambique.

Why focus on blackwood?

Blackwood is the national tree of Tanzania and is one of the most valuable timber species in the world. If harvested by communities in a sustainable way, it could provide reliable long-term income to communities, giving them an economic incentive to conserve and protect their forests. It also has the potential to be a flagship species for conservation.

How large does the blackwood tree grow?

Mature trees are typically between 4.5m and 7.5m high, with an average girth of 1.2m.

How long does it take to grow?

Blackwood does not reach a harvestable size until an estimated 70 to 100 years (typically when the tree trunk reaches a girth of around 1m).

What instruments are made from blackwood?

Blackwood is the wood of choice for high quality clarinets, oboes, wooden flutes and bagpipes. Musical instrument manufacturers often know blackwood as ‘grenadilla’.

Are there any other uses of blackwood?

Blackwood has several other uses, it is traditionally used for carving by several tribes in East Africa, in particular the Makonde, whose tribal lands straddle the Tanzania-Mozambique border, are renowned for their blackwood carving. Today blackwood is used for carvings sold to the tourist trade. Local people also use blackwood to make pestles, knife handles and supports for buildings and in house construction. The tree also has some uses in traditional medicine.

What is the yield from sawn blackwood?

Blackwood is a smaller tree than most timber species. Trees rarely grow straight and fault free; bends, lateral twists and deep fluting are all common, as is heartrot which disproportionately affects larger trees. The smallest fault can cause wood to split when it is put on a lathe to make an instrument, hence wastage rates when sawing billets for export is very high. Yield rates at the best sawmills are generally less than 20%, and in the less efficient ones yields can be under 5%. Confusion over forest regulations also means that large branches are often left in the bush. Carvers do not suffer the same problems as sawmills, as skilled carvers are able to follow the grain and incorporate the twists and turns of the wood into their work.

What volumes of blackwood are traded?

It is estimated that the annual global demand for blackwood to make musical instruments is in the range 150-200m³. Due to the small size of the tree, its twisted growth patterns and high levels of wastage this equates to at least 20,000 trees felled each year to meet the demands of the musical instrument trade. Estimating the consumption of wood to supply the carving industry is harder, but is thought to be equivalent to that for musical instruments. The demand for musical instruments is fairly static, where as that for carvings grows proportionately to the tourist industry.