The dry forests and woodlands of Africa : managing for products and services /

Editors Chidumayo (ecologist) and Gumbo (CIFOR) bring together information on the potential of the forest and woodland resources in drier, sub-Saharan Africa and the problems people face when managing those resources. Although much of the material is not new, the organization and synthesis make the book quite readable and a valuable addition to libraries. The book's breadth requires that some topics receive more attention than others. Its strengths are the discussions of timber, woodlots, charcoal, wildlife, rangelands, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, non-timber products, and a range of environmental services, within the constraints and development context of the region. Chapter contributors rarely discuss on-the-ground management, except when describing current practices. When contributors mention specific management information and prescriptions such as silvicultural treatments, rangeland and woodland carrying capacity guides, rotational grazing schemes, optimal management plans for carbon sequestration, and wildlife habitat suitability assessments, they do not provide the detail necessary for field use. Readers should be aware that though the book covers sub-Saharan Africa, many of the examples are from East Africa, with West Africa receiving less attention. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. B. D. Orr Michigan Technological University