Agric_Unit_7 (1)

JC: Agriculture Unit 7
Botswana College of Distance and Open

Learning
Junior Secondary
Agriculture
Unit 7: Forestry
Acknowledgements
This unit is a product of many people who worked hard to see it ready for use by
BOCODOL learners. BOCODOL wishes to acknowledge contributions from the following.
Course Development Officers

Masego Bagopi
Jane Dikinya
Augustine Ntuma
Script Writer
Margaret Kooletile
Content Editor
Batobeli Elifas
Reviewer
K S Gertze
In-house Editor
Mmaserame H David
Illustrations
Margaret Kooletile
DTP Assistant
Yunobia Segokgo
© 2014 BOCODOL
Including Forestry Department, Veld Products Research and publishers and authors whose
some of the illustrations we have redrawn. All rights reserved. Reproduction, copying and
all forms of transmission are only in accordance with the national Copyright Laws that
are in force.
Please, address correspondences to:
The Executive Director

BOCODOL
Private Bag BO 187
Tel. 3181470/3646000
Fax: 3181473
©2014 BOCODOL
Margin Icons
While working through this Course material you will notice the frequent use of
margin icons. These icons serve to “signpost” a particular piece of text, a new task or change
in activity; they have been included to help you to find your way around this course material.
A complete icon set is shown below. Familiarise yourself with the icons and their meaning
before starting your study.
Bibliography
Glossary
Learning Objectives Time
Unit Assessment i Introduction
Summary Unit Aims
Unit Outcomes
References
Activity
©2014 BOCODOL
Contents Page
Unit Introduction ……………………………………………………………….............. i

Lesson 1: Trees, tree products and veld products……………………………………...... 1
Lesson 2: Tree seedlings and seeds……………………………………………….…...... 18
Lesson 3: Forestry Conservation and Agro-forestry……………………………...…....... 32
Answers to Self-assessment Exercises………………………………………..……........ 44
References.……………………………………………………………............................ 49
©2014 BOCODOL
Introduction to Unit 7
i Introduction
Learner, I know you are ready and anxious to start the new unit on forestry. In this unit you
are going to learn more about forests. Since you have learnt about fruit tree production in
Unit 6, it is going to be much easier for you to understand this unit because it is also talking
about trees. The only difference is that in this unit we are going to learn about forest trees and
veld products. Forestry is the growing of trees and caring for them so that we benefit from
them. A forest consists of trees, shrubs, micro-organisms and animals. Forest can be natural
or artificial. Artificial forests are those that were established with the help of man by planting
and managing them while natural ones grow on their own and mostly they depend entirely on
rainfall for water. We will also look at both indigenous and exotic trees found in Botswana, as
well as veld products. A veld is a large area of land covered by natural shrubs, grasses, herbs
and trees.
In this unit, we will also learn on how important it is to look at some factors when collecting
tree seeds as it may affect the germination percentage. The proper management and
utilisation of woodlot will be described in details. Another sub topic that we will discuss is
forestry conservation. In Botswana, the government has been putting more effort in creating
awareness among citizens, of the need to plant and care for trees and that is why they have
found it suitable to set aside a day every year as the National Tree Planting Day.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
• differentiate between indigenous and exotic trees found in Botswana and their uses
• describe veld products
• describe the seed collection process
• describe methods of treating seeds
• describe effective management and utilisation of woodlots
• describe ways of conserving forests
• explain agro-forestry
Unit Contents
The unit is composed of three lessons that will address the objectives stated above.
The lessons are as follows:
Lesson 1: Trees, tree products and veld products

Lesson 2: Tree seedlings and seeds
Lesson 3: Forest conservation and agro-forestry
©2014 BOCODOL
i
Time
Each lesson should take you about two hours to complete, Therefore, six hours will be needed
to complete this unit. In some lessons you may take long, others less time depending mainly
on your ability to read and understand the unit content. Remember, your main objective is to
understand the lessons and do the Self-assessments Exercise correctly, therefore you need to
take your time to study hard. In the case where the lesson is too long and difficult, you can
rest and continue when you are ready.
Resources
Reference books have also been indicated at the end of the unit for you to refer to. Use the
reference books for better understanding of the unit.
Learning approach
The activities provided in each lesson are there to help you to understand the unit further
and in turn answer the Self-assessment Exercise correctly. Give yourself ample time and to
attempt before checking the answers which are at the end of the unit. The assignment is also
provided for you to answer and hand it to your tutor for marking. Take the assignment with
the seriousness it deserves because the questions are of the final year examination type.
Wishing you the best of luck as you go through this unit.
©2014 BOCODOL
ii
Lesson 1
Trees, Tree Products and Veld Products
i Introduction
Hello Learner and welcome to the first lesson of Unit 7. In this lesson, you are going to learn
about forests; what they are and what they are made of. Forests in Botswana include both
the indigenous and exotic trees such as mophane and jacaranda respectively. Trees are very
important in our daily lives because we use them for different purposes. For example, they
may be used for firewood. You will learn that trees are also kept for their different products.
Apart from timber, there are also non- timber products that are found in the veld.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
• identify indigenous and exotic trees found in Botswana
• differentiate between indigenous and exotic trees
• identify tree products found in Botswana
• state the importance of trees and tree products
• describe veld products
• identify veld products found in Botswana
• state the uses of the veld products identified.
Lesson Contents
1.0 Indigenous and exotic trees found in Botswana 1
2.0 Tree products found in Botswana 7
3.0 The Importance of trees and tree products 8
4.0 Veld products found in Botswana and their uses 10
Summary 13
Glossary 14
Self-assessment Exercise 1 14
1.0 Indigenous and Exotic Trees Found in Botswana

In Unit 1 you learnt that forestry is a branch of agriculture that deals with the management
of naturally growing trees and man-made tree plantations which are grown to produce
valuable products such as timber and fruits. Now, we are going to learn about this branch of
agriculture in more detail.
1 ©2014 BOCODOL
Learner, let us start by reminding you what you have learnt from fruit tree production unit.
Do you still remember what indigenous and exotic fruit trees are?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
I hope you said that the indigenous fruit trees are the fruit trees that are native to your country
while exotic ones are from other countries.
Now, since you have learnt that in fruit tree production you are going to use the same
information in this lesson. We will discuss exotic and indigenous trees found in Botswana in
more detail.
You will learn that there are two groups of trees, indigenous and exotic trees. We are going to
discuss them one at a time starting with indigenous trees. Before we do that, let me see how
much you remember from what you have learnt.
Activity 1
From what you have learnt in the previous unit, define what indigenous trees
are
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Feedback for Activity 1

You are a brilliant leaner if you have said that the indigenous trees are native to our
country.
Now let us discuss them in more detail.
1.1 Indigenous trees

Earlier on, we mentioned that indigenous trees originate within the country. This means that
they are native to a particular country. Most trees in Botswana are indigenous and they have
grown here for many years. They were not imported into this country. They are well adapted
to the local harsh conditions. They have long roots to get water from the deep level of the
ground, and are able to resist common pests and diseases. Even though they are native to our
country, they grow very slowly. They provide food to the browsing animals such as goats.
Learner, understand that the indigenous trees differ from one area to another. This is due to
the difference in climatic conditions, soils, moisture content and topography of an area.
2 ©2014 BOCODOL
Activity 2
Write down some examples of indigenous trees that you have seen in one area
but are not found in other areas?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Feedback to Activity 2
You are correct if you have mentioned trees such as: Mophane, morula, mokoba,
mokgalo, motswere, and mowana tree. These trees are found in certain parts of the
country. For example, Mophane trees are found mostly in the northern area but they
are not there in southern part of Botswana.
Let us now discuss different types of indigenous trees found in Botswana and describe them
briefly one by one looking at their Setswana names, scientific names and their specific uses.
Scientific names are the names that are used internationally so that people from different
countries are able to recognise the kind of tree being described. Our discussion will start with
the Morula tree:
(a) Morula
Common name: Marula
Setswana name: Morula
Scientific name: sclerocarya birrea subsp. Caffa
The tree is best known for its golf ball- sized fruit, which it bears during summer. The tree
is often conserved, even in cultivated areas. Its fruits are edible and can be used to make
products such as jam, sweets and brewed alcoholic drink. Once the fruits are eaten, they
provide a lot of Vitamin C, which improves health. The wood is ideal for making pestles and
mortars like the one shown in Figure 1 below, including drums, plates, spoons, bowls and
it is also used as firewood. The marula seed provide a delicious taste like walnuts. The bark
contains 10-20 % tannin.
(b) Mopane
Common name: Mopane
Setswana name: Mophane
Scientific name: colephosphermurn mopane
Mopane is mostly found in the Northern and Central areas of Botswana. It is commonly
used for firewood, constructing kraals, furniture, building and fencing poles because of its
strength. The tree is well known for providing a suitable home for the mophane worm, which
is eaten by human beings as well as animals. The worm is a source of income for the people
living in the areas where it is found.
3 ©2014 BOCODOL
(c) Mowana
Common name: Baobab
Setswana name: Mowana
Scientific name: adonsonia digitaria
The baobab is a tree with an average stem diameter of 5m (see figure 1 below). The tree can
survive for so many years even up to more than 100 years. Figure 2 below shows one of the
oldest baobab trees with a hallow trunk. The hallow part of the tree has a cave which was
used for shelter. A baobab tree stores water in the hollow trunk to survive even during the
drought conditions. The pulp in which seeds are embedded can be eaten, used as substitute
for yeast in the making of bread and to extract drink. The fruit pulp provides one of the
highest known contents of Vitamin C, tartaric acid, potassium acid tartrate and citric acid.
The leaves contain tannin and can be used to treat diarrhoea and fever.
Figure 1: Baobab
(d) Moporota
Common name: Sausage tree
Setswana name: moporota
Scientific name: kigelia Africana
It is one of the common trees occurring in the island in the delta. Because its timber is strong
and does not crack, it is used for making dug-out canoes commonly known as mokoro in the
Okavango delta. Boiled fruits from this tree produce a reddish dye. The leaves are eaten by
wild animals such as elephants and kudu.
(e) Mokgalo
Common name: Buffalo thorn
Setswana name: Mokgalo
Scientific name: ziziphus mucronata
4 ©2014 BOCODOL
It is a tree that is characterised by paired and hooked thorns. The wood is ideal for making
handles for farm tools, spoons, ploughing blocks and bows. The fruits and leaves are eaten
mainly by browsers. The paste from its leaves can be applied on the boils to heal them.
(f) Motlopi
Common name: Shepherd tree
Setswana name: Motlopi
Scientific name: boscia albitrunca
The tree is perfectly adapted to survive under harsh conditions and in desert regions. It is
often referred to as the “tree of life”. In arid areas the shepherd tree provides shade to both
animals and human beings. In times of drought, the farmers in the southern Kgalagadi cut the
branches partially and bend them down for animals to feed on them. The fruits are edible to
both human beings and animals. In some areas the ground powder from the roots is used as
a traditional coffee.
(g) Mosu
Common name: Umbrella thorn
Setswana name: Mosu
Scientific name: acatic tortillas subsp. Heteracantha
It is a common species found almost everywhere in Botswana, especially where the soil has a
high content of clay soil. The wood is mostly used for firewood and bush fencing for animal
kraals and fields. The pods are very nutritious and are eaten by browsing animals.
(h) Morojwa
Common name: Snot apple
Setswana name: Morojwa
Scientific name: azanza garckeana
The tree is commonly found in the homesteads and its fruits are chewed like a gum. Its fibre
is used for making ropes.
(i) Moretlwa
Common name: Brandy bush
Setswana name: Moretlwa
Scientific name: grewia flava
The tree is also referred to as a shrub. It is the favourite for the San for making bows, arrows
and springhare poles for catching springhare. The fruits are edible and can be eaten fresh or
dried. An alcoholic beverage (khadi) is also made from the fruits.
(j) Mosetlha
Common name: Weeping wattle
Setswana name: Mosetlha
Scientific name: petrophorum africanum
The tree is particularly used to make furniture. It has also been used for making wooden
buckets, grinding blocks, wagons and makes a good fire too. Both the bark and the root
contain tannin and therefore the plant is widely used as a medicine to cure diarrhoea, wounds,
5 ©2014 BOCODOL
dysentery and relief of sore eyes.

I have given you enough examples for you to understand the different types of indigenous
trees. There are many other examples of these trees in Botswana that I have not mentioned
and you can find out more about those found in your area from your relatives. In the next
section, I would like us to discuss another type of tree.
1.2 Exotic trees

In contrast to what we have already discussed, exotic trees originate from other countries.
In Botswana they usually occur in home gardens, hotels, schools and big institutions for
decorating and ornamental purposes. They are also grown in woodlots. A woodlot is an area
set aside for growing trees. They have been imported into our country long time back and
have spread since then. They are mostly known by their common and scientific names. You
can hardly find a Setswana name for them because they do not originate in our country. They
are often not resistant to harsh climatic conditions and pests and diseases when they are at a
seedling stage. They need to be watered regularly.
Table 1: Examples of Exotic Trees

Common name Scientific name
Syringa meli azedarach
Pepper schinus molle
Jacaranda jacaranda mimosifolia
Pine tree hibiscus pandurifarmos
Silk oak grevillea rubusta
Blue gum eucalyptus
Christmas tree nuystia floribunda
Splash pine pinus elliot
Yellow hibiscus hibiscus panduriformis
Apple blossom cassia cassia javanica
Yellow trumpet bush tecoma stans
Oleander nerium oleander
Weeping fig ficus benjamina
Some trees are grown for their straight stems that can be used for producing building, fencing
posts as well as electric and telecommunication poles. In general, exotic trees are evergreen
and some have flowers, which decorate the area they are in. Some of them are used for
medicinal purposes such as pepper and blue gum. The pine tree is mainly grown in woodlots
to produce paper. Learner, did you know that the paper that you write on is produced from
trees? If not, ask your tutor to tell you more about it and the countries where pine is grown
on a large scale. You could already be wondering about the tree products found in Botswana,
let us move into that area and find out what they are.
6 ©2014 BOCODOL
2.0 Tree Products Found in Botswana

In the first section of this lesson, you learnt about both exotic and indigenous trees. Note that
it is also very important to know their tree products and uses. Study the table below on the
tree products and their uses.
Table 2: Tree products and their uses

Tree products Uses
Browse Food for livestock and wildlife
Fibre Hand craft making
Fruits and roots Food for people and animals
Nectar and pollen Food for bees during drought
Gum and raisins Food for people and animals
Fuel wood and charcoal Fuel for cooking and warming houses
Timber poles Furniture, fencing, poles for electricity/tele-
phone wires and for building houses
Wood pulp Paper making
Tannin and dyes Dyeing and tannin industries
Do Activity 2 to apply what you learnt from the section above.
Activity 2
Complete the table below by giving two examples of trees found in your local
area and their products and uses. You are given one example:
Name of tree Tree Products Uses
Mophane (mopane) Wood Wood is used for fire-
Mophane wood making kraals
worms and poles for building
Tree barks for
weaving and tying
Mopane worms -
food for people and
animals
I hope that the example given has guided you to complete the table. If you are not
sure of your answers you have given, check with your tutor.
You have learnt about both indigenous and exotic trees, their products and uses.
Now we are going to look at the importance of trees and their products.
7 ©2014 BOCODOL
3.0 The Importance of Trees and Tree Products

Learner, I hope you have a good idea why trees are grown and taken care off. I would like
you to do this activity below before we discuss this.
Activity 3
What do you think are the importance of trees and their products?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If you have said the importance of trees and tree products are that they provide
people with shade during hot conditions, source of food and some are used as
medicinal purposes then you were very right. You are a brilliant learner.
Trees are very valuable in many ways. You may have grown some trees in your village or in
your yard. Let us now look at more reasons why trees are valuable.
3.1 They provide timber

Trees that provide hardwood are used in building and making furniture. Can you think of
trees that are used to make furniture and for building?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
If you have said mukwa, mokala and mukusi you were correct.
3.2 Source of fencing material

Some trees in the cattle post and fields are used as fencing materials. They are used as poles
for construction of kraals for animals(see Figure 3 below). Trees such as mophane are very
strong. In some areas such as the Ngamiland district, they use mokoshong tree to make
canoes and boats.
3.2 Source of food

Learner, have you ever eaten any tree products? I think all people around the world have
eaten products from trees, either from their local environment or imported from other
countries. Trees provide edible products such as fruits, nuts, pods, and berries and juices for
both animals and people. Trees like sweet thorn, acacia produce reddish gum that is used to
make sweets. The gum is also eaten raw by wild animals such as monkeys. Bees get pollen
and nectar which they use to make honey from trees. Trees provide fodder in the form of tree
8 ©2014 BOCODOL
leaves, pods and twigs for browsing animals such as goats. Mophane trees help to maintain
the existence of phane worms which are a source of food for both people and animals.
3.3 Trees may be used to make medicines

Tree leaves, barks and roots can be used to treat different of diseases. They are known as
herbs. For example, the leaves of blue gum tree produce oil which is used to make menthol
for treatment of colds and sore throats. Traditional doctors use parts of trees to treat some
diseases.
3.4 Provision of shade

Trees are very important to both animals and people as they protect them from extreme
climatic conditions Most of the animals graze or browse in the morning and during the day
they rest under these trees since its cool. In a homestead there is always a tree to provide
shade to people especially in the rural areas.
3.5. Trees are used as firewood

Trees such as lead wood (motswere) provide firewood for domestic purpose such as warming
houses in winter and cooking. In some areas people earn their living through selling the
firewood. Remember, only dead and dry trees are the ones to use for firewood.
3.6 Trees act as windbreakers

Learner, the tall trees around the buildings block the effects of strong winds and prevent
damage which could be done to them. Trees also protect crops from strong winds by reducing
the wind speed.
3.7 Protection of watershed

Trees provide a crown that will reduce evaporation of water from the water surface, which in
turn improve water penetration into the soil.
3.8 Source of raw materials

Trees such as the pine tree produce wood pulp that is used to make paper. Fibres from these
trees are used to weave baskets. Wooden chalkboard and dusters are made from trees as well.
Do you still remember an indigenous tree that its leaves are used for weaving basket?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
If you have said mokolwane, then you are absolutely correct.
3.9 Trees make our land beautiful

Trees make an area or a homestead attractive. Tall trees, hedges and ornamental plants
beautify our homes and environment. They also provide a pleasant smell.
9 ©2014 BOCODOL
3.10 Trees help to prevent soil erosion

In Social Studies in Unit 1, you learnt about the importance of trees in preventing or reducing
soil erosion and this is also in Agriculture. Trees bind the soil particles together through their
roots and reduce the movement of soil by either wind or water. The leaves and branches
reduce the impact of the raindrops, therefore protecting the soil against splash erosion.
3.11 Trees release oxygen

From your science lessons you learnt that during the process of photosynthesis, trees absorb
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to make their own food, and in return release oxygen that
will be used up by animals and people. When the oxygen is released, it is free from pollutants
and it is used by human beings and animals for respiration.
3.12 Source of income

Some trees and tree products can be sold to those who do not have them. Trees can be
sold as timber, firewood, posts and poles to earn income. Trees also produce edible fruits,
woodcarvings, jewellery made from seeds that can be sold to bring people income. Trees also
boost the country’s economy through tourism. Places like the Chobe area with tree forests
provide a rich habitat for wildlife and this attracts tourists; hence earning the country foreign
exchange.
3.13 Trees provide dyes and tannin

Trees provide dyes and tannin that are used in the industries such as leather industries.
The leather is used to produce valuable products. Besides tree products, there are also veld
products. Let us now learn more about them.
4.0 Veld products found in Botswana and their uses

Veld products play a very important role in the daily lives of Batswana. First let us start by
defining a veld. Let me give you a chance to tell me what you understand by veld before I
give you my own definition.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
I hope you given a good attempt. Yes, a veld is an open large area of land covered by natural
vegetation such as grasses, shrubs, herbs, forbs and trees. Veld products can be defined as
non-timber forest products. They may include foods, medicines, craft materials, tannins,
gums, raisins, insects, and many other renewable natural resources. Veld products mostly
come from the indigenous plants. Attempt the activity below to test your understanding of
veld products.
10 ©2014 BOCODOL
Activity 4
Give three examples of veld products form your environment:

_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Feedbck to Activity 4
• Congratulations if you have given any of the following examples:
• Raisins
• Tannin and dyes
• Herbal teas
• Oils
• Fibre and reeds
• Wild coffee beans
• Morama
• Wild fruits
• Thatch grass
• Browse
• Firewood
• Mushrooms
• Tree bark and leaf mould
• Honey
• Phane worm
• Game animals
Let us now discuss their uses in detail.
4.1. Raisins
Raisins that are obtained from veld products like bastard brandy bush (mogwana)
brandy bush (moretlwa), sand paper raisin (mokgomphatha) and false sand paper raisin
(motsotsojane). There are all edible to both people and animals. Brandy bush and bastard
brandy bush are also used to prepare traditional beer called khadi.
11 ©2014 BOCODOL
4.2 Tannin and dyes

This can be obtained from mositsana tree. The dried roots are crushed and mixed with water
to produce the dye. They are used in tanning industries to dye leather and textiles.
4.3 Herbal teas

Some herbs from the veld can be processed into tea. The herbs such as lengana and
mosukujane are used as tea substitute. They are also used for treatment of colds, coughs,
stomach ache, fever, bronchial diseases and pains. They are also used as relaxing and
calming drinks.
4.4. Devil’s claw

The Devil’s claw or grapple plant commonly known as sengaparile is widely recognised for
its medicinal purpose. Its roots are used to treat different kinds of diseases like skin diseases
and arthritis. The plant also acts as an anti-oxidant and it purifies the body.
4.5 Oils
Trees like morula produce seeds that contain about 56% oils that can be used in food. The
oils are also used to make cosmetics for the skin and facial creams.
4.6 Fibre and reeds

We can obtain fibre and reeds from veld for weaving baskets and other handicrafts. For
example, the leaves of palm tree are used for weaving baskets in the Ngamiland and Boteti
areas. The reeds that are obtained mostly along the Okavango River are used for making
fishing basket and for building houses.
4.7 Wild coffee beans (Mogotswe or motshopo)

The seeds of this plant are very important to the San, because it is one of their staple foods.
The ripe seeds are removed from the pods, roasted and ground to a tasty, but rather coarse
meal. Farmers even use the seeds as a coffee substitute where the seeds are dried and fried in
small amount of fat and ground to a powder to which boiling water is added.
4.8 Gemsbok beans (Morama)

These are wild peanuts that are found in the veld of Kalahari. Seeds are roasted and made
into gemsbok bean butter.
4.9 Wild fruits and vegetables

There are many wild fruits that are produced in the veld. These include:
• Snot apple (morojwa) fruit: It is also known as the African chewing gum. It is edible
and can be chewed like a gum. It is good for cleaning teeth.
• Palm tree (mokolwane) fruits: The fruit have fibre which helps in reducing indigestion
and it is also used to make wine.
• Marula (morula) fruits: The fruits provide a good source of Vitamin C. They can also
be used to make sweets, jam, and jelly and brewed into a traditional alcoholic drink.
• Baobab (Mowana) fruits: The pulps are edible and contain an acid which can be used
12 ©2014 BOCODOL
to add a sour flavour in porridge or as substitute form of yeast for making bread.
• Monkey orange (mogorogorwane) fruits: The leaves are pounded into paste which is
used to treat sores. Crushed soaked leaves are used as a spray for vegetables to repel
insects such as aphids. Its the roots are chewed to treat eczema especially in children. A
ripe fruit is eaten raw.
(f) Pig weed (thepe): Its leaves are cooked and served as a vegetable. It has got a spinach-
like taste. Cooked pigweed leaves are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C. The
diagram below shows pigweed. Ask your tutor to help you identify it in your area.
Other veld fruits that are eaten include wild medlar (mmilo), mongongo, mogwagwa,
Tsamma melon (kgengwe), Herero cucumber (mokapane) and prickly pear (motoroko)
4.10 Thatch grass

In Botswana, along the A1 road, between Francistown and Gaborone, you may have seen
people selling thatching grass, commonly known as Motshikhiri in Setswana. The grass is
used for thatching houses. A thatched house is warm in winter and cool in summer. This is
commonly used in lodges and hotel for tourist attraction.
4.11 Browse
The wild animals and small livestock such as goats feed on leaves and twigs of woody plants.
4.12. Mushrooms
They are two common varieties of mushrooms. These are Kalahari truffle (mahupu) and
mushrooms (maboa). They grow under the soil during summer and are eaten as vegetables.
4.13 Hoodia
This is a spiny succulent plant which is found mainly in Kalahari areas. The Basarwa has
used it for many years to quench thirst and to suppress appetite on hunting trips.
4.14 Fire wood

Dead dry trees and shrubs are often collected by people for use as firewood or for selling
along road sides to urban people passing by. The firewood is used for cooking, creating
warmth and lighting for rural communities. Learner, it is very important to note that live trees
should not be cut as this will lead to degradation of the land.
Learner, before you go through the summary below, just take a moment and think of what
you learnt in this lesson. Think of trees and veld products that are in your local area and how
you may use them. You may want to carry out a mini-research project to find out how local
people use tree and veld products.
Summary
In this lesson you leant that there are indigenous and exotic forest trees in Botswana. We have
mentioned the examples of different trees found in Botswana such as snot apple, jacaranda
and wild medlar. We have learnt that trees are important because they provide fruits,
13 ©2014 BOCODOL
firewood, protect soil from soil erosion as well as source of income. You have also learnt that
veld products are non-timber forest. Veld products are important in their own way. Some of
them are used as food, medicine and thatching houses.
Go through the glossary below. It gives meaning and definitions of important words or
concepts used in the lesson.
Glossary
Native: Originate from within the country.
Browsers: Animals which feed on plant materials especially the leaves.
Topography: The shape of an area of land.
Edible: Something that can be eaten.
Beverage: A hot or cold drink or different kinds of drinks
Ornamentals: Plants that are grown for their beauty.
Fodder: Plants grown to feed animals.
Twigs: Small woody growth from the branch of a tree
Herbs: A plant that has medicinal properties
Soil erosion: Removal of soil from one place to another
Anti-oxidant: A substance that cleans the body and protect it from diseases
Self-assessment Exercise 1
Total = [20 marks]
Instructions
(a) Answer all the questions in the spaces provided.
(b) You may spend about 45 minutes in this exercise.
Section A: Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is an exotic tree?
A. Blue gum tree
B. Baobab tree
C. Palm tree
D. Sausage tree
2. Which of the following is a tree product?
A. Furniture
B. Poles
C. Honey
D. Phane
14 ©2014 BOCODOL
3. Which of the following may be used for treating coughs?

A. Snot apple
B. Monkey orange
C. Gemsbok beans
D. Pepper tee
4. Which of the following is a use of hoodia plant?
A. To treat colds
B. To quench thirst
C. Used as food
D. To improve immunity
5. Define the following terms:
(a) Exotic trees [2 marks]
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(b) Forestry [2 marks]

______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(c) Veld products [2 marks]

______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. State three reasons for the importance of trees. [3 marks]

_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________ ___
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. Name three examples of exotic forest trees. [3 marks]

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
15 ©2014 BOCODOL
8. Complete the table below on the tree products and their uses. [4 marks]
Tree products Uses
Browse
Furniture , fencing, poles for electricity
Wood pulp
Hand craft making
16 ©2014 BOCODOL
Lesson 2
Tree Seedlings and Seeds
i Introduction
Learner, welcome to Lesson 2. In the previous topic, we discussed trees and their products.
You learnt that trees and tree products have many uses and they play a vital or very important
role in our daily lives. We also looked at some of the veld products found in Botswana, their
uses and importance. In this lesson we are going to study tree seedlings and seeds. In other
words, this lesson takes us back to where the life of a tree starts. For a tree to develop, seeds
need to be sown first, be allowed to germinate and grow into new plants. Therefore it means
that to have more trees, it is very important to collect seeds and use them to produce other
plants or seedlings. Before you think of planting trees, quality seeds or seedlings of desired
trees must be used. In this lesson we will also discuss the different sources of tree seeds and
seedlings in Botswana, how to calculate the germination percentage, ways of improving it
and methods of treating seeds.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson you should be able to:
• describe the sources of tree seeds and tree seedlings in Botswana
• describe the seed collection process
• state the factors inhibiting germination of tree seeds
• describe the different seed treatment methods
• demonstrate methods used to treat tree seeds before planting
• calculate the percentage germination of seeds
Lesson Contents
1.0 Sources of tree seeds and seedlings in Botswana 18
2.0 How to collect tree seeds 19
3.0 Factors inhibiting germination of tree seeds. 21
4.0 Methods of treating seeds 23
5.0 How to calculate the percentage germination of seeds 24
Summary 27
Glossary 28
17 ©2014 BOCODOL
1.0 Sources of Tree Seeds and Seedlings in

Botswana
Before you think of planting and managing forest trees and seedlings, tree seeds should be
available. You need to think of where you can get them. In Botswana they are many places
where you can get the tree seeds. Some of the places include the veld. The following activity
will help you understand more about seeds.
Activity 1
Take a short trip to move around your village, city or town and find out places
where you can find some tree seeds. If you cannot find any place in your area,
think of any other place. You may collect some seeds or seedlings and ask
people around how they are sown. Write down places where seeds can be
collected
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If you have said that seeds or seedlings can be collected from the veld, schools
Ministry of Agriculture offices and private commercial dealers you were very correct.
Now let us look at more on sources of tree seeds and tree seedlings in Botswana.
• Tree seeds and seedlings can be obtained from the following sources:
• Private commercial dealers such as Sanitas in Gaborone. They produce seedlings and
flowers in their nurseries that are well managed, and they also sell seeds.
• Tree seeds and seedlings can be bought from Government organisations like the
Forestry Association of Botswana (FAB). Brigades nurseries, Schools nurseries and
Rural Training Centres.
• Non-Government Organisations such as Thusano Lefatsheng and Veld products
research.
• Seeds can be collected from the existing woodlots and from trees in the veld. In the
bush trees produce seeds naturally and they can be collected from the trees.
• Individual farmers who have nurseries in their yards.
Learner, normally the tree seeds and seedlings from the commercial dealers are expensive
therefore to reduce costs, it is better to collect seeds from the forest to develop your own
seedlings in a nursery. You can even sell some if you have collected them in large quantities.
If you have done Activity 1, you may have collected some seeds. How did you collect them?
There is a special way of doing this.
18 ©2014 BOCODOL
2.0 How to collect tree seeds

Collection of tree seeds and fruits requires more than just walking to the forest and picking
up some seeds from trees. You need to collect, sort and store seeds.
Let us discuss them one by one in more detail. I hope you are following and enjoying the
lesson as well.
2.1 Collection of tree seeds

To collect good quality seeds from the natural growing trees in the bush, you should consider
the following:
• Plan for the time: Some forest trees produce seeds once in a year which means
planning ahead will be necessary for these kind of trees. More seeds should be
collected and stored to be used in the seasons when the seeds are not there.
• Collect seeds of trees closer to the planting site: The soil and climatic conditions may
be similar, therefore chances of germination and survival will be increased.
• Collect seeds from the top branches. These seeds are of better quality because they
mature and ripen fast since they are exposed to sunlight or optimum growing
conditions. Fully matured seeds can be stored well.
• Seeds or fruits should be collected from several trees to avoid picking seeds that may
turn out to be of poor quality.
• Seeds that are lying on the ground should never be collected: the main reason for
doing so is because they might have;
- been germinated on the ground.
- fallen before they mature.
- been destroyed by pest and attacked by diseases.
- fallen long time back.
- been rotten due to moisture in the soil.
Seeds can be collected by shaking the tree trunk, picking by hand or using long poles or
sticks to knock off the seeds. The size and the colour change of the seeds indicate whether
they are ripe or not. Care should be taken to avoid infection of seeds. This can be done by
putting a cloth or a sheet of polythene underneath the tree. Collection of seeds is a process or
a step-by-step activity that involves the following:
(a) Extraction of tree seeds
Once the fruits are collected the seeds are separated from the reproductive organ, this is
called seed extraction. They are also cleaned and dried at the recommended moisture content,
which is 4-8 %. The extracted seeds should then be cleaned as this helps also in the grading
seeds and to preparing them for storage.
(b) Separation of seeds from chaff
Depending on the size, seed cleaning may be done by winnowing or floatation for smaller
seeds or hand for larger seeds. Winnowing is separation of seeds from chaff. It is very
important to separate good seeds from bad ones. During winnowing, bad seeds will be lighter
19 ©2014 BOCODOL
while good seeds will be heavier therefore the lighter ones will be blown easily by wind.
When seeds are placed in water, bad seeds will float while the good ones will sink at the
bottom and all the floating ones will be removed.
(c) Sorting of seeds
Learner, during sorting, you separate seeds that are whole from those that are destroyed or
damaged. The seeds that are whole are the viable ones, they are the ones which are able to
germinate. The damaged seeds do not have an embryo to develop into a plant, so they will
not germinate.
2.2 Seed Storage

Seeds are normally stored so that they can be used in the years of little or no trees. In addi-
tion, seeds are also protected during from any damage during storage. The ability of seeds
to remain viable depends entirely on how seeds are stored. The seeds should be kept in a
storeroom that is dry and free from insect or rodents. If necessary, trapping or poisoning
rodents near the seed storage should be done. Before seeds are stored they need to be treated
to prolong their life span. Seed treatment can be done by use of chemicals or mixing it with
wood ash.
The following precautions should be considered when storing seeds:
• Seeds should be completely dry to avoid moulding or rotting.
• During drying seeds should be placed under well-ventilated place to maintain better
quality.
• Seeds should be stored in the refrigerator if possible to avoid damage by pests and
fungi.
• After first drying, low moisture content of 4-8 % is maintained by storing seeds in
tightly sealed, containers. Moisture content above 8 % exposes the seeds to fungal
attack.
• The storage should be waterproof to avoid development of fungus and mould. It should
be well ventilated and the seeds kept in sacks should be kept off the ground to prevent
damage by rodents.
Once the farmer had followed all the precautions, he or she will be assured that the seeds will
remain viable until the next planting season.
Learner, study the table below, it shows the viability of seeds under different storage
conditions.
Storage method Length of time before viability dropped
to 50 % or less
Open container at room temperature 2 weeks
Sealed container at room temperature 2 weeks
Open container at 400C 6 weeks
Sealed container, dried seed, at 400C 9 months
Sealed container, moist seeds, at 40 C0
18 months
You can see that seeds that are moist and stored at low temperature, in a sealed container stay
for a long period of time.
I believe you now know different methods of collecting and storing seeds. Do you think it is
20 ©2014 BOCODOL
easy to produce quality seeds? Remember that quality seeds are those that can germinate and
grow into healthy trees that will produce fruits and seeds. Pause for a minute and think if this
is possible? Well, let us expand on this by looking at factors that can affect germination.
3.0 Factors Inhibiting Germination of Tree Seeds

Let us now look at the germination of tree seeds. Germination is the process where an
embryo within a seed begins to grow and develop into a new plant. I hope you learnt this
in your primary school in your Science and Agriculture subjects. Do Activity 2 to remind
yourself of what you know about germination.
Activity 2
Do you still remember the conditions required for germination to take place? In
the spaces provided below, write them down.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If you have mentioned oxygen, suitable temperature and water, then you have a very
good memory.
Please note that even if oxygen, suitable temperature and water are present, the seeds may
still fail to germinate. As such, we are going to discuss all possible factors that may inhibit or
prevent the seeds from germinating.
Activity 3
Healthy looking seeds may fail to germinate even if all the necessary
requirements are there. Suggest any three factors that you think may stop the
tree seeds from germinating.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If you have mentioned any of the following possible reasons you are a clever learner:
• Hardness of the seed coat
• Not enough moisture
21 ©2014 BOCODOL
• High or low temperature

• Dormancy
• Stage of maturity
• Depth of sowing seeds
• Mechanical damage
• Undeveloped embryo
Let us discuss them in more detail now:
3.1 Hard seed coat

Hard seeds coat do not allow water or moisture to reach the embryo inside the seed for
germination to occur. For example, marula seeds are covered by a hard coat that may even
prevent oxygen to reach the embryo.
3.2 Shortage of moisture

For a seed to germinate the nutrients that are stored in the cotyledons need to be moistened so
that they can be used for the development of the embryo. Therefore, if there is less moisture
this will not happen. Water helps to activate the enzymes for the growth of the embryo.
3.3 High or low temperature

Learner, do you know that plants require different temperature in order for them to grow?
This is why the vegetation in Botswana differs from one area to another. The temperatures
around the country are not the same. Different trees seeds need suitable temperature for
development. Some tree seeds germinate well under warm conditions while others need cold
conditions, so if the temperature is not suitable, the seeds will not germinate.
3.4 Dormancy
Tree seeds sometimes get into a stage where they will not germinate regardless of all the
necessary conditions there. That is the stage at which a seeds are at a resting period. The
dormancy period need to be broken before the seed can germinate.
3.5 Stage of maturity

In some trees, seeds may fall before they are ripe and mature. That means the embryo is not
viable and cannot germinate because it is not ready.
3.6 Depth of sowing seeds

I hope you still remember the factors that determine depth of sowing the seeds. One of them
was size of the seeds. The rule of thumb states that the seeds should be planted 3-5 times its
diameter. Therefore it is very important to know how big or small is the seed to determine the
depth of planting. If tree seeds are planted too deep, it will take a long time for the shoot to
reach the surface. Also if the seeds are planted too shallow, the seed may dry up before they
germinate.
22 ©2014 BOCODOL
3.7 Mechanical damage

Sometimes the seeds do not germinate because they might have been damaged by insects
or soil borne pests. Soil burrowing animals may also eat seeds before they germinate. These
pests normally damage the embryo of a seed leading to failure to germinate. It is also possible
for the seed to break during planting time and fail to germinate.
3.8 Undeveloped embryo

Some seeds may show signs of maturity while the embryo inside is not fully developed.
Healthy seeds may contain no embryo or dead embryo and these kinds of seeds cannot ger-
minate at all.
Now that you know the factors inhibiting germination of seeds, let us now discuss the meth-
ods that can be used to try and solve this problem.
4.0 Methods of Treating Seeds

In order to improve germination percentage of tree seeds, there are certain treatment methods
that one needs to carry out. Before I explain to you what these are, let me give you an
opportunity to comment.
Activity 4
What do you think should be done to all the seeds which are covered by hard
coat to improve their chances for germination?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
I hope in one of the answers, you said you one could break the seed coat. If you
have said so, you were correct.
We can now discuss the methods of treating seeds in more detail.
4.1 Breaking seed dormancy

Seed dormancy is caused mainly by a seed coat that is impermeable to water and air. When
the dormancy is broken, the hard seed coat is removed to allow water and air to pass through.
Then the seed will be made permeable, that is water and air will get through. This can be
achieved by doing the following:
(a) Mechanical
This can be done by filing the seed coat using the file. The outer part of the seed is the one
filed but avoiding damage to an embryo. Another way in which this can be done is by
23 ©2014 BOCODOL
breaking, the seed coat. For example, the seed coat of marula can be broken down using a
stone but caution should also be taken to avoid breaking the embryo inside a seed.
(b) Soaking seeds in cold water

Seeds can be soaked in cold water for 24 hours to soften the seed coat. The seeds should be
sown immediately to avoid re-drying.
(c) Hot water treatment

Seeds are placed in hot water of 70 to 1000C and then cooled in cold water.
(d) Acid scarification

Seeds are put in sulphuric acid at room temperature for the recommended period of time.
The seeds are then rinsed in fresh water for 24 hours. The sulphuric acid can also be heated
to a temperature of 70 0C and removed from the heater. Seeds are then placed inside for
recommended period of time. Just like the room temperature one, seeds are then rinsed in
fresh cold water for 24 hours. The acid softens the seed coat.
(e) Dry heat treatment

The seeds are heated at the recommended temperature of 900C for a recommended period of
time. This can be done in a very hot sun or in a regulated stove. This method will
(f) Treating seeds with ethanol

Seeds are placed in ethanol for a recommended period of time and then removed and rinsed
in fresh water.
(g) Treating the seeds with chemicals

Seeds can also be treated with chemicals such as fungicides and insecticides. This is mainly
done to protect the seeds from pathogens and soil borne pests. Seeds can be disinfected with
fungicides to protect them from fungi and insecticides can also be applied to protect seeds
from pests such as weevils or rodenticides for protection from rodents.
Learner, note that apart from using different methods for treating seeds, favourable conditions
should also be availed to encourage germination to occur. The following should be done to
improve the germination percentage of seeds:
• Using a shade net to regulate the temperature and light intensity.
• Having a correct soil pH.
• Using the correct depth of planting.
• Provision of water
• Allow easy circulation of air (oxygen)
I hope you have learnt a lot on how to improve germination of tree seeds. Some of the
methods you can practice them at home.
5.0 How to calculate the Percentage Germination of

Seeds
Learner, for you to be able to calculate the germination percentage, you need to understand
the formula first. Germination percentage of the seeds can be determined when you know the
24 ©2014 BOCODOL
number of seeds planted and the number of seedlings that have emerged.
Calculation of germination percentage is done as follows:

Germination percentage = (number of seedlings emerged)
(total number of seeds planted) ×100
It is very important that you count the number of seeds before they are planted and the
number of seedlings after they have emerged
Activity 5
Assume you have planted 150 treated seeds in your plot, out of these only 70
seedlings emerged. What would be germination percentage?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
I hope you were able to calculate the germination percentage. If not, let us do the
question together. Make sure that you follow the working properly.
Germination percentage (%) = (number of seelings emerged)

(total number of seeds planted) ×100
= 70 × 100
150
= 46.66667
= 46.7 % or 47 %
Now that you are able to calculate germination percentage let me give two more question to
do to show that you understand the calculations.
Activity 6
A farmer has planted umbrella thorn seeds on his farm. After a month he
realised that 80 seedlings had emerged and the germination percentage was
45%. How many umbrella thorn seeds had the farmer planted?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
25 ©2014 BOCODOL
If you have calculated your answer as follows you were very correct:
Number of seeds planted = Number of seedlings emerged × 100
Germination percentage
Total number of seeds planted = 80 × 100
45
= 177.77778
= 178 seeds
OR
Germination percentage = No of seedlings emerged
No of seeds planted
45 = 80
100 X cross multiply and divide by 45
X = 178 seeds
Now do the other question below.

A farmer has planted 200 seeds on his farm. After calculating the germination percentage, he
realised that the percentage was 20 %. How many seedlings have emerged? Calculate and
show your working.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
I hope you have managed to calculate correctly. Check your answer using the following
working:
Number of seedlings emerged = Germination percentage × Number of seeds planted

100
Number of seedlings emerged = 20 × 200
100
= 40 seedlings
OR
Germination percentage (%) = No of seedlings emerged
26 ©2014 BOCODOL
No of seeds planted
20 = x
100 200 cross multiply and divide by 100
x = 40 seedlings
The table below shows some germination percentage of different species or groups of plants
that were treated using different methods:
Species Pre-treatment Germination (%)

Hyphaene petersiana Soak in cold water for a day 90
(mokolwane)
Combretum imberbe No treatment 35
(Motswere)
Sclerocarya caffra Remove the operculum 100
(Morula)
Adansonia ditata No treatment 80
( Mowana)
Acacia nigrescens Hot water treatment 84
(mokoba)
Acacia eriobola 10 minute in hot sulphuric 70
( Mogotlho) acid
Acacia albida 24 hours soaking in cold 90
( Mokosho) water
I hope you are now confident to calculate the germination percentage of seeds. Note that only
practice can help you grasp this. Let us now go on to summarise the lesson.
Summary
In this lesson, we have learnt about various places in Botswana where tree seeds and
seedlings can be obtained, for example in commercial nurseries and the Forestry Association
of Botswana. We have learnt that when we collect seeds, it is very important to collect seeds
from the top branches because they are mature and ripe. Seeds that are lying on the ground
should not be collected because they might have been eaten by pests or diseased. We have
realised that there are some factors that inhibit germination of seeds regardless of whether
water, air and suitable temperature are there. To correct this, soaking seeds in cold or hot
water, removing the seed coat and treating seeds with chemicals can improve germination of
tree seeds. Lastly, we learnt how to calculate the germination percentage. For you to do this
correctly, you need to know the number of seeds planted and the number of seedlings that
have emerged.
Go through the glossary below to learn the correct definitions or meanings of important
words used in this lesson.
27 ©2014 BOCODOL
Glossary
Winnowing: removal of chaff from grains
Floatation: staying on surface of a liquid without sinking
Mould: a soft green, grey or black substance that grows on food which have been
kept too long or on objects that are in warm or wet air
Viable: able to germinate
Inhibit: to prevent a plant from growing or developing well
Dormancy: not growing at the present time but able to grow later
Enzyme: chemical substance that is produced in a plant and helps chemical changes
to take place in a plant.
Embryo: at a very early stage of development
Scarification: to break and make loose the surface of a seed
Rodenticides: chemicals used to kill rats and mice
Before we start Lesson 3, do Exercise 2 below. On completion check your answers against
the ones provided at the end of the unit.
Total = [20 marks]

Instructions
(a) Answer all the questions in the spaces provided.
1. Which of the following will inhibit tree seed germination?

A. Suitable temperature
B. Hard seed coat
C. Adequate water
D. Adequate oxygen
2. Which of the following seed treatment is used to control pests?

A. Filling seeds with file
B. Soaking seeds in cold water
C. Applying rodenticides
D. Removing the seed coat
28 ©2014 BOCODOL
3. A farmer wants to plant acacia seeds on his farm. He collected the seeds and measured
their diameter which was 10mm each. What should be the depth of planting the seeds?
A. 10 – 15 mm
B. 15 – 25 mm
C. 30 – 35 mm
D. 30 – 50 mm
Use the results of germination test of morula seeds given in the table below to answer
question 4 and 5
Plot number Number of seeds Number of seedlings

1 100 50
2 100 90
3 100 90
Total 300 230
4. What is the germination percentage of morula tree?

A. 50 %
B. 65 %
C 77 %
D. 82 %
5. What is the germination percentage of plot 2?

A. 100 %
B 90 %
C. 80 %
D. 70 % [5 marks]
6. Name the three sources of tree seeds and seedlings in Botswana. [3 marks]
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. Why is it not a good idea to collect seeds that are lying on the ground? [3 marks]
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
29 ©2014 BOCODOL
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8. Describe five ways of breaking seed dormancy to improve germination. [5 marks]

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
9. State four factors that inhibit germination of tree seeds. [4 marks]

(a) _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(b) _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(c) _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(d) _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
30 ©2014 BOCODOL
Lesson 3
Forestry Conservation and Agro-Forestry
i Introduction
Learner, Let me welcome you to Lesson 3, which is the last lesson of this Unit. You are
advised to spend two hours on this lesson. In Lesson 2 you learnt about seedlings and seeds
and their treatment. By now you should know how to collect seeds and prepare them for
germination. The knowledge you have gained in Lesson 2 is very important for developing
and conserving forests because once a tree has been grown it has to be taken care of. This
lesson therefore is going to take us a step further to learn about forest plantations, how
they are managed and why it is important to manage them. Trees, animals and crops are
sometimes made to live together and benefit from their positive interactions. We will also talk
about agro-forestry practices to see or how they are.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson you should be able to:
• define woodlot
• explain why it is necessary to correctly manage existing woodlots in Botswana
• describe the effective management and utilisation of woodlots
• define forestry conservation
• explain the importance of forestry conservation
• describe ways by which forests can be conserved
• explain agro-forestry
• discuss different types of agro-forestry
Lesson Contents
1.0 What is a woodlot? 32
2.0 Why is it necessary to correctly manage existing woodlots in Botswana? 32
3.0 Effective management and utilisation of woodlots 33
4.0 Forestry conservation 34
5.0 The importance of forestry conservation 35
6.0 Ways of conserving the forest 36
7.0 Agro-forestry and its practices 37
Summary 39
Glossary 39
31 ©2014 BOCODOL
1.0 What is a Woodlot?

A woodlot is a piece of land set aside for growing forest trees. It is an area where people
have planted trees or trees are growing naturally. It can also be defined as a small plantation.
Woodlots can be found in areas such as: Kanye, Molepolole, Serowe, Lobatse and
Francistown in Botswana. These woodlots are fenced and protected from being damaged
by animals. Trees that are suitable for woodlots are trees that grow fast, recover quickly
from the cuttings, self-reseeding, produce suckers, and grow straight branches. A blue gum
(eucalyptus) tree is one of the trees that are commonly found in the woodlots. Is it necessary
to look after woodlots? If you live in an area with woodlots, you may enquire around to find
out how they are managed and who manages them.
2.0 Why is it Necessary to Correctly Manage

Existing Woodlots in Botswana?
Learner, since woodlots consist of forests which are plants, it is very important to take care
of them so that they will be able to benefit us. I would like to have your input in why it is
necessary to manage the woodlots before I explain that to you.
Activity 1
Why it is important to take care of a woodlot?

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Congratulate yourself if you have mentioned that they provide poles, protect soil from
being eroded and provide firewood.
Let us discuss the importance of correctly managing existing woodlots.
It is necessary to correctly manage existing woodlots because:
• They provide timber for fencing posts and building. Like we have said, trees like
eucalyptus provide a good timber for fencing. Some materials such as poles are
used for constructing kraals and erecting electric wires.
• They increase the value of the land. The land which would otherwise not be suitable
for other forms of agriculture may be used for raising forest trees. They can be used for
recreation and eco-tourism.
• Some trees in woodlots provide pollen and nectar for bees. Pollination of flowers helps
in balancing the ecosystem.
• They protect the soil from erosion by acting as wind breakers and holding the soil the
soil particles with their long roots.
32 ©2014 BOCODOL
• They provide shade, habitat, shelter and protect certain animal species such as wild
animals and wild birds from harm and unfavourable weather conditions.
• Woodlots are established to address the problem of desertification around our villages.
Areas such as Kgalagadi district have desert due to fewer trees in the area. People tend
to cut trees indiscriminately and never replace them. This scenario leads to expansion
of a desert.
• They provide opportunities for other kinds of farming such as apiculture, which is
keeping of bees.
• Woodlots meet the increasing demand of firewood that is used for cooking by many
Batswana, more especially in rural areas. It provides 95% of rural energy needs. Many
people collect firewood from the forest by cutting down trees and they never replace
them and it causes a severe damage to the environment, so it is best to establish
woodlots.
• It helps to keep the climate stable by slowing down the wind speed which in turn
reduces the rate of evaporation and transpiration. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere reducing the effects of climate change.
I believe by now you understand the importance of managing woodlots. Let us proceed to
find out how they are effectively used and managed.
3.0 Effective Management and Utilisation of Woodlots

Once tree seedlings have been planted, they have to be looked after so that they are
established within the time expected. People cut live trees and they never replace them. This
leaves the soil bare leading to the spread of the desert. Remember, land need to be used
wisely to preserve it for the future generations. For this to be realised we need to do activities
that will ensure that future generations find these resources in place. These activities include
the following:
• Fencing: The area where trees are planted should be fenced to avoid damage by
thieves and roaming animals to the young seedlings.
• Weeding: During early stages, tall trees should be uprooted or slashed to reduce
competition with seedlings for water, air, nutrients and sunlight. The trees that have
large canopy can also smoother weeds underneath
• Thinning: During planting, tree seedlings may be planted as closely as possible, that
is, about 1 metre apart to encourage trees to grow straight upwards, as they compete
for light. Thinning can be 4-5 years later to allow the remaining tress to grow bigger
without competing for water, nutrients and sunlight. The removed trees can be used
as poles or firewood. Thin out the weaker trees so that the best trees can grow
bigger without competing for nutrients
• Watering: Learner do you still remember the importance of water in plants?
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
If not, let me remind you. Just like fruit trees, forest tree seedlings need water so that they can
photosynthesise and to transport the dissolved nutrients around the plant body.
33 ©2014 BOCODOL
It is therefore very important that supplementary irrigation or watering is done especially

during the early stages of seedlings development. Once trees have grown they can tap
water from the deeper layers through their long roots and at this stage irrigation can be
discontinued.
• Fire protection: Veld fires should be prevented since they destroy forest and veld.
Fire breaks should be constructed around the woodlots. A fire break is an area of
about 30 metres wide around a property cleared of all burning materials.
• Re-planting: It is very important to plant new trees by using tree seeds or vegetative
part to replace old trees that fall down or trees that have been cut. The selective cutting
and replacement should depend entirely on the age so that the woodlot would never be
left bare by cutting all the trees at the same time.
• Brushing: This is trimming off of the lower branches of the young trees. This trains the
trees to have straight trunks suitable for construction as poles.
• Enrichment planting: Trees are planted between the existing stand where the space
is so large. Trees of the same species as already growing on the area can be used or
different tree species can be introduced.
Now that we have discussed effective ways of using and managing woodlots, let us look at
the conservation of forestry in Botswana.
4.0 Forestry Conservation

I hope we all know that forestry conservation deals with the wise use of the natural resources
so that they are not destroyed and reduced in numbers. This ensures that resources are used
in a sustainable basis. It is very important that a country should develop policies and laws
that will ensure that the natural forest resources are used wisely without being exploited or
damaged. For example, if anyone is seen burning the veld or cutting down trees carelessly he
or she should be liable for punishment. In Botswana, there are those trees that are protected
by law and they include the following:
• Tamboti (Morukuru)
• Wild teak (Mukwa)
• Mukusi
• Brown mahogany
• Pod mahogany
• Copal wood (Tsaudi)
• Baobab (Mowana)
• Brown ivory/ bird plum (Motsentsela)
• African ebony (Mochenje)
You learnt that conservation involves proper use and management of forests. In addition,
there are laws and policies that ensure forests are protected and used wisely.
34 ©2014 BOCODOL
5.0 The importance of Forestry Conservation

Learner, with an ever increasing population, deforestation and desertification are equally
occurring at an increasing rate, so it is important to conserve forest.
Activity 2
Give three reasons why you think forestry has to be conserved.

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If you have mentioned that forestry conservation is important because it improves
soil fertility, protect watersheds and reduce soil erosion you were very correct.
Now let us discuss the importance of forestry conservation in details.

There is need to conserve the existing forest resources for the following reasons:
• To prevent the spread of the desert or desert like conditions: Trees will bind the soil
particles with their roots and reduce transportation of soil by wind. Or water from one
place to another.
• Forest provides food and shelter for wildlife and people: Animals use trees as shelter
during unfavourable conditions as well as provision of food such as twigs and fruits.
• To conserve soil and water: Forest trees protect watershed from evaporation therefore
increase water penetration in the soil.
• To prevent loss of important natural resources: They attract tourists, which in turn
brings foreign exchange and improves the lives of people in rural areas.
• For production of raw materials: Raw materials such as rubber, oil, gum, raisin dyes,
ropes and tannis for aesthetic and industrial use are produced by trees.
• Addition of organic matter in the soil: The fallen leaves or fallen trees rot in the soil
and provide organic matter which helps in improving soil structure and soil fertility.
• They keep the climate stable: This happens during the process of photosynthesis
where trees will use carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, thereby reducing damage to
the ozone layer.
• Protect loss of species: If one tree species in an area is lost, it might lead to loss of
number of other plant and animal species that are dependent on that tree species due to
habitat loss.
• Medicinal purpose: Trees also are a source of medicinal herbs which help people to
improve their health status.
• Forest is source of employment and income: Game hunters and lumbermen or (tree
cutters) get employment from the forest. Money earned will be used to sustain their
families.
35 ©2014 BOCODOL
• Forest act as wind breakers: Forest trees protect weak plants from strong wind. They
also influence cloud cover and wind movements. When they transpire, the water vapour
cools and condenses in the air to form clouds and later fall as rain.
If forests are so important, can you imagine what would happen if we did not use them
wisely. I am sure you agree that it is indeed important to conserve forests. Let us now look at
some of the ways of conserving the forests.
6.0 Ways of Conserving the Forest

Learner, forestry conservation is concerned about measures that deal with preservation and
protection of forest and all its resources. All the factors discussed above make it necessary to
conserve forest. We can now look at ways of conserving forests. Let us do an activity again to
check your understanding and knowledge.
Activity 3
How do you conserve forest? _______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
You were very correct if you have mentioned protection from fire as your answer.
Let us now look at the points in more details. Forest conservation can be done through a
number of ways, which include the following:
6.1 Increase of public awareness

It is very important to teach people about the value of trees to human beings and animals,
their role in the environment and how they can help to conserve them.
6.2 Formation of forest reserves

There are areas that have been gazetted and trees within those areas cannot be harvested. For
example, the forests in the Chobe District were proclaimed forest reserves under the forest
Act of 1968. These forest reserves are protected by law. Only licensed timber companies can
cut down trees in such areas. There is no grazing of livestock, no building of structures in the
area and burning is strictly prohibited or not allowed.
6.3 Afforestation
The establishment of a forest can be done in areas where there are no forests. Tree species
that suit the type of climate and the soil in the area can be planted. This is done every year
during the tree-planting month in October by the community with the help of the Forestry
36 ©2014 BOCODOL
Association of Botswana. This is mainly done to reduce soil erosion, make windbreaks and
prevent desertification.
6.4 Fire protection

Every year during the spring and summer season, many hectares of the veld are destroyed
by fire. This reduces the grazing areas for livestock and wild animals. Firebreaks are the ones
that can be used to prevent or reduce the damage by fire. This is done by planting a strip of
land at least a few metres wide around the forest.
6.5 Use of other energy sources

The people should be encouraged to use other alternative energy resources such as electricity,
coal and solar energy instead of cutting trees for firewood.
6.6 Cutting of old trees

Rural people who earn their living through selling of fire wood should be encouraged to use
only dead or damaged trees.
6.7 Community involvement

Community should be involved to promote active involvement in the development of
conservation strategies, such as establishment of forest reserves.
Let us now look at another practice of agriculture which includes the forest and other things.
7.0 Agro-Forestry and its practices

Learner, agro-forestry is a collective name for land use system in which trees are grown with
agricultural crops, pastures and livestock in a sequence in which there is both an economic
and ecological interaction between the tree and non-tree components of the system.
It is the growing of crops, trees and/or keeping animals together as a farming unit. In simpler
terms it can be said to be when trees, crop and animals are made to benefit from their positive
interaction. This is based on the principle that for a sustainable ecological balance, we have to
consider the co-existence of trees, crops and animals. For example, crops, lands and pasture
lands should have trees as components rather than being open fields which may encourage
soil erosion. After understanding what agro-forestry is all about, the next question one might
want to know is why it?
7.1 What are the benefits of agro-forestry?

There are several reasons why agro-forestry has to be practised and some of them are as
follows:
• It ensures a supply of several essential items, such as fodder, fibre, firewood, fruits.
• Trees provide shade to livestock during hot conditions.
• Trees provide shade-to-shade loving crops such as tea and shelter to other crops
protecting them from wind.
• Trees which are deep rooted, extract nutrients from deeper layer of the soil. When
the leaves from the trees drop on to the ground, they decompose and as a result
37 ©2014 BOCODOL
they improve soil fertility and soil structure.

• The humus from the organic matter bind soil particles together to form a soil structure
that is resistant to soil erosion.
• Some trees like lucerne, which contain high amount of proteins can be planted in
pastures and browsed by livestock or harvested for fodder. This will in turn provide
protein mostly needed by plants for growth and development.
• Trees are important components of the water cycle and as such they influence the
global climate.
• Trees protect the soil from erosion because roots of trees help to bind soil
particles together, thus preventing it to be eroded by the agents of soil erosion.
7.2 What are agro- forestry practices?

Practices in agro-forestry refer to the way agro-forestry is usually done. Before we can
discuss this, lets see how much you know about agro-forestry practices.
Activity 4
Brainstorm and write one agro-forestry practice that you know.

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If you have mentioned silvo arable, silvo pastoral, silviculture, apiculture you were
very correct.
To understand these practices let us discuss them further.
(a) Silvo-pastoral
This is a system where trees, pastures and animals are raised together. The trees
are planted with pasture so that livestock or other living organism benefit from
them. Domestic animals can graze grass and browse herbs and shrubs growing beneath
trees. Through this system:
• Phane worms feed on mophane trees. This is called entemoforestry.
• Apiaries can be situated in the forest for bee keeping. Bees will benefit nectar and
pollen from the flowers. This is called apiculture. Trees such as eucalyptus grown in
plantations are suitable for honey production.
• Sericulture can also be practised. This is the rearing of silk worms for the production
of raw silk. The worms mainly feed on mulberry leaves though other species are also
suitable. This is an important industry in other countries like China.
• Fodder can be planted in between the trees for grazing animals.
38 ©2014 BOCODOL
• Fish farming can be introduced in the same piece of land for fish to benefit from aquatic
plants. This is called aquaculture.
(b) Silvo - arable or Agrosilviculture.

This is a system whereby trees and crops are raised together. This may include:
(i) Alley cropping: it involves planting arable crops in between hedge row of
planted trees and shrubs, preferably leguminous species. The leguminous trees
will fix nitrogen in the soil providing nutrients to crops. An example
can be where maize and groundnuts crops are grown with hedges of leucaena.
The leucaena foliage will be cut and spread as a nutrient rich mulch.
(ii) Border planting: This describes the use of tree to demarcate boundaries and
locate them in places in competition with agricultural crops.
(iii) Strip planting in forest or timber plantations, for example, growing beans
between rows of trees. Various crops can be planted between the trees for various
products.
(c) Agro–silvo-pastoral
Agro-silvo-pastoral system involves the combination of three components, that is, trees,
crops and animals. Once one understands the practice he or she can practice this at home by
having trees, inter-cropping them with crops and later introducing animals.
Summary
In this lesson you have learnt about woodlots and understood that they are necessary as they
help people with their products such as firewood, timber and other tree products. We have
also learnt that it is very important to correctly manage the existing woodlots so that they
continuously supply people with the needed products. As the forest continues to help people
in many ways, it is very important to conserve the forest. Some of the ways in which this
can be done is by making the public aware of the importance of trees, afforestation, formation
of forest reserves, fire protection and tree planting. Lastly, we discussed about the three
practices of agro-forestry that can be used to increase the production of trees together with
other farming practices. These are silvo-arable, silvo-pastoral and agro-silvo-pastoral. These
practices help in the use of natural resources like land to produce several products. They
involve the interaction of trees, crops, and animals in the same unit of land.
Glossary
Encroachment: to occur gradually or steadily beyond certain limits.
Gazzetted: selected areas
Afforestation: act of planting of trees
Plantation: a large group of trees grown to produce trees
Artificial: man made or not natural
Recreation: an activity done for pleasure
39 ©2014 BOCODOL
Eco-tourism: the business of organizing holidays to natural areas

Habitat: the natural home of a plant and animal
Species: a group of animals or plants whose members are similar and can breed
together.
Deforestation: the cutting down of trees
Desertification: the process whereby useful land turn to a desert
Aesthetic: the study of beauty
Ecology: the way in which animals, plants and people are related to each other and to
their environment.
Fodder: crops grown to feed animals
Total = [20 marks]

Instructions
(a) Answer all the questions in the spaces provided. For the multiple choice, circle the
correct answer.
1. Which of the following is not an effective management of woodlot?

A. Cutting down of trees
B. Regular control of pests and diseases
C. Regular pruning of lower branches
D. Protection from fires
2. What is the planned management of natural resources to prevent their neglect,
exploitation and destruction?
A. Forestry resources
B. Forestry area
C. Forestry conservation
D. Forestry plantation
3. Which tree species is protected by law?
A. Mopane
B. Camel thorn
C. Buffalo thorn
D. Baobab
40 ©2014 BOCODOL
4. Which of the following is a way of conserving forest?

A. Burning the veld
B. Planting trees
C. Cutting trees for fire wood
D. Bush encroachment
5. Which agro- forestry practice involves the growing of trees and keeping animals in the
same land?
A. Silvo- pastoral
B. Slivi culture
C Silvo arable
D. Sericulture [5 marks]
6. Mention three ways of managing woodlots effectively. [3 marks]

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. Define the following terms: [4 marks]

(a) Woodlots _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(b) Apiculture ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
(c) Agro-silviculture ___________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(d) Agro-forestry ______________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
41 ©2014 BOCODOL
8. State three agro forestry practices that you have studied. [3 marks]
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
9. Give three importance of conserving forest. [3 marks]

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
10. State two ways of conserving forest [2 marks]
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
42 ©2014 BOCODOL
Answers to Self-assessment Exercises

Exercise 1 [20 Marks]
Section A: Multiple Choice [4 marks]
1. A
2. B
3. D
4. B
5. (a) Exotic trees are trees that originate from other countries. [2 marks]
Section B: Short Answers

(b) Forestry is a branch of agriculture that deals with the management of naturally
occurring trees and man-made tree plantation in order to produce valuable
products such as timber and fruits. [2 marks]
(c) Veld products are non-timber forest products. [2 marks]

6. Importance of trees includes: [3 marks]
• Provision of timber
• Source of fencing material
• Source of food
• Trees may be used to make medicines
• Provision of shade
• Trees are used as firewood
• Trees act as windbreakers
• Protection of watershed
• Source of raw materials
• Trees make our land beautiful
• Trees make our land beautiful
• Trees release oxygen
• Trees provide dyes and tannin
7. Examples of exotic trees are: [3 marks]

• Syringa
• Pepper
• Jacaranda
• Pine tree
• Silk oak
43 ©2014 BOCODOL
• Blue gum
• Christmas tree
• Splash pine
• Yellow hibiscus
• Apple blossom cassia
• Yellow trumpet bush
• Oleander
• Weeping fig
8. Tree products and their uses [4 marks]

Tree products Uses
Browse Food for livestock and wildlife
Timber poles Furniture, fencing, poles for electricity
Wood pulp Paper making
Fibre Hand craft making
Timber poles Furniture, fencing, poles for electricity/
telephone wires and for building houses
Exercise 2 [20 marks]

Section A: Multiple Choice Questions [5 marks]
1. B
2. C
3. D
4. C
5. B
Section B: Short Answers

6. Sources of tree seedlings: [3 marks]
• Private commercial companies like Sanitas
• Forestry Association of Botswana
• Schools nurseries
• Veld Product Research
• Rural Development Centres
• Non Government Organisations such as Thusano Lefatsheng
• Seeds can be collected from the existing woodlots and from trees in the veld.
• Individual farmers who have nurseries in their yards.
• Brigades nurseries
44 ©2014 BOCODOL
7. It is not good idea to collect seeds that are lying on the ground because: [3 marks]
• They might have fallen before they mature
• They might have been attacked by pest and diseases
• They might have been broken
• They might have fallen long time back
• They might have germinated on the ground
8. Five ways of breaking seed dormancy to improve germination: [5 marks]

(i) Mechanical
This can be done by filing the seed-coat using the file. The outer part of the seed
is the one filed but avoiding damage to an embryo
(ii) Soaking seeds in cold water

Seeds can be soaked in cold water for 24 hours to soften the seed coat. The seeds
should be sown immediately to avoid re-drying.
(iii) Hot water treatment
Seeds are placed in hot water of 70 to 1000C and then cooled in a cold water.
(iv) Acid scarification
Seeds are put in sulphuric acid at room temperature for the recommended period
of time. The seeds are then rinsed in fresh water for 24 hours. The sulphuric acid
can also be heated to a temperature of 70 0C and removed from the heater. Seeds
are then placed inside for recommended period of time.
(v) Dry heat treatment
The seeds are heated at the recommended temperature of 900C for a
recommended period of time. This can be done in a very hot sun or in a regulated
stove.
(vi) Treating seeds with ethanol
Seeds are placed in ethanol for a recommended period of time and then removed
and rinsed in fresh water.
(vii) Treating the seeds with chemicals

Seeds can also be treated with chemicals such as fungicides and insecticides. This
is mainly done to protect the seeds from pathogens and soil borne pests.
9. Factors inhibiting germination percentage are: [4 marks]

• Hardness of the seed coat
• Dormancy of the seed
• Undeveloped embryo
• Shortage of moisture
• Mechanically damaged seeds
45 ©2014 BOCODOL
• Low or high temperature

• Depth of planting seeds
• Stage of maturity
Exercise 3 [20 marks]

Section A: Multiple Choice [5 marks]
1. A
2. C
3. D
4. B
5. A
6. Ways of managing woodlots effectively include: [3 marks]

• Fencing of the woodlot
• Thinning of trees
• Weeding of woodlots
• Watering of tree seedlings
• Pests and disease control
• Protecting trees against fires
• Pruning of trees
• Re- planting after harvesting
• Enrichment planting
• Harvesting old, damaged and diseased trees
Definition of terms: [4 marks]

(a) A Woodlot is a piece of land set aside for planting trees or small tree plantation.
(b) Apiculture is the keeping bees in the forest trees.
(c) Agrosilviculture: This is the system whereby trees and crops are raised together.
(d) Agro-forestry: This is the growing of crops, trees and animals together as a
farming unit.
8. Agro- forestry practices include: [3 marks]

• Silvo arable
• Silvo pastoral
• Agro- silvo-pastoral
9. Importance of forestry conservation includes the following: [3 marks]
• To prevent spread of desert or desert like conditions
46 ©2014 BOCODOL
• Forest provides food and shelter for wildlife and people

• To conserve soil and water
• To prevent loss of important natural resources
• They attracts tourist, which in turn brings foreign exchange and improves the live of
people in rural area
• For production of raw materials
• Addition of organic matter in the soil
• They keep the climate stable
• Protect loss of species
• Medicinal purpose
• Forest is source of employment and income
• Forest act as wind breakers
10. Ways of conserving forest [2 marks]

• Increase of public awareness
• Formation of forest reserve
• Afforestation
• Fire protection
• Use of other energy sources
• Cutting of old trees
• Community involvement
47 ©2014 BOCODOL
References
Chengeta, J. (2011). Agriculture: A Fresh start. Diamond Educational Publisher:Gaborone.
Chengeta,J. Mahabile,M. Matlhare,C. and Nsinamwa,M.(1999).Enjoy Agriculture Book 2.
Hodder and Stoughton: Gaborone.
Elliott, I. (1998). Agriculture: A practical Course for Botswana Book 1. Longman Botswana:
Gaborone.
Elliott, I. (1997). Agriculture: A practical Course for Botswana Book 3. Longman Botswana:
Gaborone.
Kasozi,J. Manthe,M. McLeod,G. Matthews, L. and Simela.T. (2009). New Trends in
Agriculture Book 2,Learner’s Book. Macmillan Botswana: Gaborone.
Macmillan Education and the Ministry of Education, (1983). Agriculture for Botswana.
Macmillan Boleswa Publishers: London.
Mmolotsi,W. Kengaletswe, L. Phuthego, L.(2010). Exploring Agriculture Form 1 student’s
Book. Heinemann Botswana: Sandton.
Van Antwerpen,E.G. (1995).Vegetable Cultivation: A Practical handbook. Longman
Namibia: Windhoek.
48 ©2014 BOCODOL

Agric_Unit_7 (1)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Agric_Unit_7 (1)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

JC: Agriculture Unit 7

Botswana College of Distance and Open

Course Development Officers

Please, address correspondences to:

The Executive Director

Learning Objectives Time

Unit Assessment i Introduction

Summary Unit Aims

Unit Introduction ……………………………………………………………….............. i

Lesson 1: Trees, tree products and veld products

Wishing you the best of luck as you go through this unit.

1.0 Indigenous and Exotic Trees Found in Botswana

Feedback for Activity 1

1.1 Indigenous trees

dysentery and relief of sore eyes.

1.2 Exotic trees

Table 1: Examples of Exotic Trees

2.0 Tree Products Found in Botswana

Table 2: Tree products and their uses

3.0 The Importance of Trees and Tree Products

3.1 They provide timber

3.2 Source of fencing material

3.2 Source of food

3.3 Trees may be used to make medicines

3.4 Provision of shade

3.5. Trees are used as firewood

3.6 Trees act as windbreakers

3.7 Protection of watershed

3.8 Source of raw materials

3.9 Trees make our land beautiful

3.10 Trees help to prevent soil erosion

3.11 Trees release oxygen

3.12 Source of income

3.13 Trees provide dyes and tannin

4.0 Veld products found in Botswana and their uses

Give three examples of veld products form your environment:

Let us now discuss their uses in detail.

4.2 Tannin and dyes

4.3 Herbal teas

4.4. Devil’s claw

4.6 Fibre and reeds

4.7 Wild coffee beans (Mogotswe or motshopo)

4.8 Gemsbok beans (Morama)

4.9 Wild fruits and vegetables

4.10 Thatch grass

4.14 Fire wood

Section A: Multiple Choice

3. Which of the following may be used for treating coughs?

(b) Forestry [2 marks]

(c) Veld products [2 marks]

6. State three reasons for the importance of trees. [3 marks]

7. Name three examples of exotic forest trees. [3 marks]

1.0 Sources of Tree Seeds and Seedlings in

2.0 How to collect tree seeds

2.1 Collection of tree seeds

2.2 Seed Storage

3.0 Factors Inhibiting Germination of Tree Seeds

• High or low temperature

3.1 Hard seed coat

3.2 Shortage of moisture

3.3 High or low temperature

3.5 Stage of maturity

3.6 Depth of sowing seeds

3.7 Mechanical damage