Tree Conservation Information Service
| Milicia excelsa
Moraceae (synonym: Chlorophora excelsa) Iroko; Tule Distribution This species is widely distributed across Africa; it occurs in Angola, Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tomé & Principe, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire and Zimbabwe. Habitat M. excelsa is found in transitional vegetation between closed forests and savanna. It is often found in gallery forest and can be found in deciduous, semi-deciduous or evergreen forest. Occasionally it is found in isolated relict forests from sea level to about 1300m. It is fairly abundant in the drier areas of semi-deciduous Antiaris-Chlorophora forest (FAO, 1986b). Both M. excelsa and M. regia show a preference for dry, flat, light areas (Hawthorne, 1995a). Most effective seed germination occurs in half-shade, the seedlings are most commonly found in medium sized light gaps and then become light dependant (Hawthorne, 1995a). M. excelsa is considered to be a pioneer species which regenerates in disturbed, open areas and in logged forest (Hawthorne, 1995a). In Kenya, this species is found in relict moist forest and wooded grassland (Beentje, 1994) along the coast and in the central Meru district and Nyanza province (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994). It has been found at an altitude of 4500 m on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania; although, it is usually found between sea level and 1200 m (FAO, 1986a). In West Africa this species is found in areas where rainfall is between 1150mm and 1900mm and the temperature is between 25 șC and 35 șC. Population Status and Trends Iroko is commonly found growing around villages and old farms as it is left to grow there because of its commercial value (FAO, 1986b). This species is abundant, especially in Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon and Zaire (N'Sosso in litt, 1995). It is also commonly found in Ghana (Hawthorne, 1995a) In Mozambique, M. excelsa is very scarce and dispersed (Moreno Saiz, 1996). This is also the case in Kenya where this species is now sparsely distributed due to heavy exploitation (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994). Regeneration There is very little regeneration of this species in Zimbabwe (African Regional Workshop, 1996). In Mozambique, where an area was cleared but large trees of M. excelsa left standing, there seems to be regeneration in the open areas (African Regional Workshop, 1996). Role of Species in its Ecosystem The fruit of this species contains many small seeds which are dispersed by bats and birds (Osmaston, 1965 in Hawthorne, 1995a). Duikers and animals eat the newly emergent shoots (FAO, 1986b). Threats This species is heavily exploited in Ghana (Hawthorne, 1995a&b) and plantations of this species tend to be unsuccessful (FAO, 1986b). In Zimbabwe, M. excelsa is threatened by habitat degradation; it is found only in an area which is suffering from alluvial erosion. It is not, however, exploited in Zimbabwe (African Regional Workshop, 1996). Utilisation The high quality timber is used as a Teak substitute. It is widely used for all kinds of construction work and carpentry including domestic flooring, veneer and cabinetwork (WCMC, 1991). The timber is used for building ships and barrels. It is used externally because it has great resistance to bad weather (Moreno Saiz, 1996). Locally, this species has many medicinal uses; the bark is also used as a dye (FAO, 1986b). The wood is also exploited by the local people (African Regional Workshop, 1996). Trade This species is not distinguished from Milicia regia by commercial logging companies (Hawthorne, 1995a). Iroko is a major commercial species in international trade. Tanzania and Uganda were in the past major sources of the timber and some Iroko is still exported from E. Africa. In Kenya users of this species claimed that supplies were variable and unpredictable (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994). West African countries are now the main exporters, especially Ghana (traded together with M. regia) and Côte d'Ivoire (WCMC, 1991). The UK imported 22 648m3 in 1989. Côte d'Ivoire supplies 60% of the Iroko imported to the UK (WCMC, 1991). In 1987, 11,988m3 were exported from Owendo, Gabon (IUCN, 1990). In 1994, Gabon exported 8,236.664m3 of Iroko and in 1995 exported 12,823.169m3 (DIAF, 1996). According to the ITTO (1995a) in 1994 Iroko logs were exported by: Cameroon (65 000m3 at an average price of US$245.00/m3), Congo (10 206m3), and Gabon (US$39.75/m3). In addition Cameroon exported 12 000m3 of sawnwood at an average price of US$640.00/m3 and Ghana exported 47 340m3 of air dried sawnwood (@ US$520.00/m3) and an unknown volume of kiln dried sawnwood at an average price of US$653.00/m3 (ITTO, 1995). Congo and Togo both export Iroko sawnwood (ITTO, 1995a). It is estimated that the formal commercial trade in Kenya uses between 800m3 and 1100m3/year of this species (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994). There is illegal trade in M. excelsa from Kenya and Uganda and suspected illegal trade from Tanzania (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994). Most of M. excelsa used in Kenya is imported (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994). Conservation Status IUCN Category and Criteria: VU (A1c,d) (African Regional Workshop, 1996) This timber species is considered Vulnerable (1994 IUCN threat category) due to excessive exploitation (Hawthorne, 1995b). It has been awarded a scarlet star in Hawthorne's (1995a) own system, which means that it is common but it is under profound pressure from heavy exploitation in Ghana. This species requires protection and exploitation has to be limited if it is to be sustainable (Hawthorne, 1995a). Conservation Measures M. excelsa is protected by legislation in Côte d'Ivoire and Mozambique and is subject to a log export ban in Ghana. In Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, no Iroko has been cut since 1987 because it took a dramatic decline (Moreno Saiz, 1996). In Nigeria, Oyo State has a 10 year moratorium on exploitation. Uganda banned export of unworked timber in 1987, although there is still licensed trade with Kenya and, more recently, with Europe. In 1993, Tanzania also banned the export of unworked timber. Kenya has imposed a "Presidential Ban on Logging of Indigenous Timber" (1986), however, little is known about this ban except that it prohibits logging of indigenous timbers. (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994). M. excelsa is found in the Shimba Hills National Reserve, although there are reports that this species is still being extracted (Marshall & Jenkins, 1994).
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