regional wood energy development programme in asia ... - CES (IISc)

In 1983-84 the National Forest Survey and Inventory of Myanmar (NFSIM) carried out an
inventory of 7 forest reserves which are also designated as woodfuel supply areas. The inventory
covered an area of 99,964 acres. In total, 123 different tree species and 7 bamboo species were
recorded in the area. The groups of the different tree species recorded in the survey are given in
Annex VI while the standing stock of trees and bamboos in the area are shown in tables 7.4 and
7.5. However, not all of the species are used as woodfuel as already pointed out in chapter 3 (with
a list of fuelwood species shown in Annex 1). The same is valid for bamboo where only 3 out of
the 7 specie; hmyin, thaik and wanwe are used as fuel, mainly for evaporated milk production.
Table 7.4 Growing stock of trees in the study area.
Group
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Girth (GBH) classes (in feet and inches)
2'-2' 11" 3' and over Total 2'-2' 11" 3' and over Total
91,675
450,613
419,041
114,140
32,354
34,150
318,375
Number of trees Quantity in stacked tons
89,316
545,448
440,513
186,432
84,106
33,814
403,188
180,991
996,061
859,554
300,572
116,460
67,964
784,563
37
22,716
81,852
89,028
22,135
6,360
6,768
69,620
49,210
245,973
192,678
77,006
55,409
17,107
194,654
71,926
327,825
281,706
99,141
71,769
23,875
264,274
1,523,348 1,782,817 3,306,165 298,479 832,037 1,130,516
On an area of close to 100,000 acres, the total standing stock was over 3.3 million trees
with diameters of over 2 feet. The total volume was about 1.13 million stacked tons. Out of this,
close to 1 million trees (or equivalent to 0.35 million stacked tons) consisted of fuelwood species.
The density of trees identified as fuelwood species with diameters of over 2 feet, would then be
about 10 trees per acre with a weighted volume of about 3.5 stacked tons.
For the total area classified as woodfuel reserve in the study area which covers about
61,500 acres (see table 2.1),the total amount of standing stock of fuelwood species would then be
about 61,500 acres x 3.5 stacked tons or 215,250 stacked tons. This is equivalent to about 16.5
times higher than the average annual extraction target, of 13,125 stacked tons, over the last 5
years. However, fuelwood trees with diameters below 2 feet, have been excluded.