Organic matter fuel briquettes as a forest conservation tool in Lake Malawi National Park

Abstract

Environmental degradation including deforestation is of great concern in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, even in many protected areas. One of them is Lake Malawi National Park (LMNP), which encases the most populated village in Malawi, Chembe. The rise in population has increased the pressure to utilize natural resources in LMNP, and the collection of firewood for domestic use as well as for commercial purposes has led to woodland degradation in the park area. To assist LMNP and its stakeholders in combating deforestation, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Finland has promoted organic matter fuel briquettes as a substitute to firewood since 2001.