In forestry, it is well understood that Research trials on Mulanje different populations of trees within the natural range of a species can become adapted to local growing conditions. cedar in Malawi Comparing the survival and growth of trees raised from seed collected from by Dr Richard Jinks, Forest Research different populations can help select Malawi’s national tree is a conifer – the seed sources that are well adapted to the Mulanje cedar (Widdringtonia whytei). It conditions at a particular planting site. occurs naturally only on Mount Mulanje, The term ‘provenance’ is used in forestry which is a large granite massif in the south to refer to the particular place of origin east of Malawi that rises spectacularly of seeds of a species. At each trial site, above the plains and is the highest seedlings raised from three provenances mountain in southern Africa reaching over of Mulanje cedar are being tested to see 3000 m and covering about 650 km2. if any are better adapted than others to Mulanje cedar is critically endangered due particular soils and climates. Seedlings to a combination of threats including fire from the different provenances are and illegal logging for its valuable timber planted in a series of replicated small which is termite resistant and naturally plots (mini-plantations) that are set out in fragrant (Figure 1). a random arrangement across each site (Figure 4). The randomisation procedure reduces accidental bias in the results caused by variation in soil fertility or other site factors.

Figure 3. Locations (red) of the trial sites planted in 2017. Figure 1. A frame used for sawing illegally The Forest Research Institute of Malawi felled Mulanje cedar on Mount Mulanje. (FRIM) has begun planting a series of experimental trials at different locations A Darwin Initiative project on the in Malawi that will provide valuable Figure 2. A young seedling raised on a Domestication of the Mulanje Cedar information on the climate and soil community nursery that has been planted for improved livelihoods led by Botanic requirements for successfully growing next to the charred stump of an illegally Gardens Conservation International Mulanje cedar. Eight sites were planted felled Mulanje cedar tree. (BGCI) is currently working with several in early 2017 (Figure 3), but unfortunately organisations to help conserve this Another of the project’s objectives is to planting at two of the sites failed because species. A key objective of the project is understand the climate and soil conditions of fire and other damage and these will to raise a million seedlings in community needed for growing Mulanje cedar so that be replaced this year. Two of the test nurseries over the next two years for it can be cultivated in forests elsewhere sites are on Mount Mulanje, and the rest Figure 4. Part of one of the trial sites in planting on Mount Mulanje. In 2018, over in Malawi as a timber crop which could are planted in other mountain regions in northern Malawi showing lines of Mulanje 400,000 seedlings have been planted eventually relieve pressure on trees Malawi where the climate is likely to be cedar seedlings at the end of the first (Figure 2). growing on Mount Mulanje. suitable for Mulanje cedar. growing season. Figure 5. A Tinytag data logger (www.geminidataloggers.com) newly installed on a trial site. I was fortunate to be able to visit most of At the end of each growing season, a the sites in March 2018 to see how the team from FRIM measure the survival seedlings survived and grew in their first and growth of all the seedlings in the trial year, and to help install small temperature and we have just finished analysing the loggers at each site for recording local first year’s data. Generally, survival and temperatures (Figure 5). The loggers are growth has been good at most of the trial battery-powered mini-computers that sites. But at one site, growth has been take and store a temperature reading exceptional with the tallest seedlings every 15 minutes. These temperature growing from around 20 cm at planting measurements, together with records to nearly 1 metre tall by the end of the from nearby meteorological stations, will season. Clearly, Mulanje cedar is well be used to measure the climate at each adapted to the soil and climate at this site. site to help understand the environmental Information gleaned from these trials, requirements of Mulanje cedar. and from those being conducted at Temperature loggers are shaded from Bedgebury, offer real hope for the direct sunlight using wooden shields which future of the Mulanje cedar. To find out have been made by local carpenters using more about the Bedgebury-based trials, pine and confiscated Mulanje cedar wood. turn to page 22.

Cool conifer fact! The oldest tree in the world is a bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) that is more than 5,000 years old. Its location is a secret.