The influence of tourism on the woodcarving trade around Cape Town and implications for forest resources in southern Africa

Figures & data

Figure 1: Map of the Western Cape showing the study areas around Cape Town

Figure 2: Flow of woodcarvings along the value chain from natural forests to tourists

Figure 3: Nationality distribution of woodcarving traders in Cape Town (n = 61)

Table 1: Characterisation of woodcraft traders in Cape Town markets

Factor	Classes	Number of traders	Percentage of traders
Age distribution	15	0	0
	20	11	18
	25	18	30
	30	9	15
	35	13	21
	40	4	7
	45	2	3
	50	3	5
	55	1	2
	60	0	0
Years of work experience	0	0	0
	2	18	30
	4	15	25
	6	8	13
	8	11	18
	10	4	7
	12	2	3
	14	3	5
	16	0	0
Factors driving traders' involvement in the trade	Earning a living	43	70
	Family problems	12	20
	No alternative	5	8
	Additional income	1	2
Education level	No formal	2	3
	Primary cycle	4	7
	Secondary cycle	40	66
	Tertiary cycle	15	25
Factors affecting the trade and the livelihood of the trader	Seasonality	36	59
	Higher demand	5	8
	Quality	11	18
	Resource scarcity	6	10
	Other	3	5

Table 2: Traders' monthly income during high and low tourist seasons

Season	Income level	Number of traders	Percentage of traders
Lean month	<R1500	22	36
	R1500–R3000	23	38
	R3000–R4500	5	8
	R4500–R6000	7	11
	>R6000	4	7
Good month	<R3000	8	13
	R3000–R6000	27	44
	R6000–R9000	10	16
	R9000–R12 000	6	10
	>R12 000	10	16

Figure 4: Countries of origin of woodcraft products traded in Cape Town

Table 3: Most commonly traded wood species by country of origin in the woodcarving trade in the study area around Cape Town

Number of respondents	Species
	Dalbergia (n = 19)	Afzelia (n = 15)	Brachylaena (n = 15)
Tanzania	2	0	0
Kenya	1	0	7
Zimbabwe	9	4	0
Cameroon	1	1	0
Malawi	3	1	0
Democratic Republic of Congo	1	0	0
Zambia	0	2	0
Republic of South Africa	2	0	0