According to the New York Times, with the vast majority of Malawi's population dependent on charcoal and firewood for cooking, the country's deforestation rate -- one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa -- is taking a toll on the environment, yet yielding paltry economic rewards. Hundreds of thousands of rural Malawians rely on logging for income, but the sale of firewood and charcoal generates less than $8 million a year nationwide. Meanwhile, the World Bank estimates 20% of Malawi's forests were destroyed during the 1990s, and one forestry expert says the heavily populated southern region of the country has lost almost 80% of its tree cover.