Prosopis Timber & Decking

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Why Prosopis?

Prosopis wood is extremely stable, hard, dense and durable wood which has a beautiful colour and texture when cut. Its durability exceeds that of traditional decking wood which means that replacement intervals are prolonged.

Choosing Prosopis wood over indigenous wood is also the eco-friendly choice when selecting your building material.

Prosopis, also known as Mesquite, is a widespread alien invasive tree in Namibia. Originating from the Southwestern United States and Mexico, it was first introduced in South Africa in the 1880s for the nutritious seed pods it produces, dense shade it provides and its rapid-growth and high adaptability to arid conditions, all of which were attributes favoured by the livestock industry at the time.

Early hybridization between two dominant species, Prosopis velutina and Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana, however, produced vigorous hybrids which proved to be highly invasive, a behaviour worsened by a total lack of its associated natural enemies.

The tree favours drainage systems and disturbed sites, such as farmsteads and roadsides, where it lowers the water tables and out-competes natural flora. In central Namibia it displaces indigenous plants such as the camelthorn (Acacia erioloba) and sweetthorn (Acacia karoo). The seedpods are ingested by livestock and wildlife and the seeds are deposited around water courses, from where they are further carried downstream, changing the natural ecology of the water course and resulting in a shift in wildlife populations. Control of Prosopis is difficult due to its coppicing ability and is uneconomical due to the high costs involved in relation to low land values.

The Prosopis is now considered to be the most important invasive alien tree species in Namibia and attempts to control it are an ongoing battle.

An alternative solution to control this invasive tree would be to turn this abundant resource into an asset. This is what our company has succeeded in doing for over 15 years.

All of the wood is obtained from invasive Prosopis trees which have invaded parts of central Namibia.

Purchasing Prosopis wood through us provides you with a direct producer to consumer relationship (no middleman involved), which cuts down your costs, empowers small businesses and reduces overall ecological impacts.