(a) Identify any four factors that favour lumbering in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(b) Explain any four problems of lumbering in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(c) Outline two ways in which any of the problems in (b) above could be solved.
Explanation
(a) Factors that favour lumbering In the Democratic Republic of Congo
(i) Presence of forest vegetation Belt
(ii) Favourable climate for the growth of trees
(iii) Presence of harvestable trees
(iv) Adequate water transport
(v) Availability of foreign capital
(vi) Availability Availability of labour
(vii) Efficient sawmill industries to process the raw materials timber
(viii) High demand for timber as fuel
(ix) There are ready markets for limber both at home and overseas
(b) Problems of lumbering In the Democratic Republic of Congo
(i) The economic trees are not in pure stand
(ii) Felling becomes a problem even when trees are located as the trees felled are held by branches of other trees, etc.
(iii) Dragging the felled trees to the river banks as a stand-by truck is often difficult because of the dense vegetation
(iv) The swampy nature of the ground renders the timber track muddy and almost impassable
(v) Floating the logs down the rivers encounters some problems as there are many rapids and waterfalls, which interrupt the floating
(vi) Presence of buttress roots in some trees makes felling very difficult and dangerous
(vii) Hardwoods do not float easily on rivers
(c) Ways of solving the problems
(i) Cultivation of economic trees in plantations
(ii) Clearing of the surrounding vegetation
(iii) Construction of wide tracks for evacuation
(iv) Procurement of suitable equipment, e.g. tractors
(v) Legislation to check illegal felling
(vi) Appointment of forest guards to enforce the law
(vii) Afforestation/reafforestation
(viii) Development of transportation system
(ix) Establishment of timber processing factories in places where river transport is restricted