Zimbabwean forests: Mopani Savanna woodland

Mopane trees in Matebeland Zimbabwe. Image credit flickr.com

• Also known as mopane
• This type of woodland is mainly confined to parts of the middle and Lowveld, between 400 and 900 metres above sea level.
• Rainfall decreases as one moves from the Highveld to the Lowveld to below 700 mm per annum.
• The temperatures are considered high averaging 25°C and above.
• The main tree species are the mopani, teak, mukwa and mahogany.
• The mopani is mainly used as wood fuel, cheap furniture, crafts and animal feed as its leaves are nutritious even in their dry state.
• The wood is also used for building and fencing in communal areas.
• Mopani savannah is mainly confined to the Zambezi valley, the Mupfure and Gwaai valleys as well as to the southern middle and Lowvelds.
• The hardwoods like Zimbabwe teak, mukwa and mahogany are exploited commercially to use various industries for example furniture making industries.

To access more topics go to the O Level Geography Notes page