Côte d’Ivoire

The potential of secondary forests to restore biodiversity of the lost forests in semi-deciduous West Africa

BACKGROUND:

The human population in West Africa has increased considerably over the past four decades, leading to a high demand for food. This has led to the conversion of vast forest lands to agricultural lands in the region. Degraded forest landscapes have the capacity to regain fertility and naturally regenerate, resulting in the widespread spread of secondary forests in West Africa. Despite the significant presence of secondary forests in the region, there is rare knowledge about forest successional stages and general dynamics.

Open access copy available

Plantation Forestry in Sub Saharan Africa: Silvicultural, Ecological and Economic Aspects

BACKGROUND

Plantation forestry in Africa is practiced using exotic species to supply timber and non- timber forest products, which are for industrial and non- industrial purposes. Ownership of the plantations extends from governments and large industrial corporations to individual farmers. Private plantations are performing well, with a better supply compared to the public ones. Plantation programs in Africa have undergone various challenges leading to a decline in production in the past two decades.

Open access copy available

Fiche technique - Comment régénérer naturellement une forêt en Côte d’Ivoire? (Technical Paper: How to naturally regenerate a forest in Ivory Coast?)

The authors lists several challenges and barriers of successful natural regeneration in the Ivory Coast.

They then present natural regeneration strategies for the region.

 

Open access copy available

Ecology and Management of Pericopsis elata (Harms) Meeuwen (Fabaceae) Populations: A Review

Background

This paper conducts a literature review of the economically important timber species P. elata, paying close attention to studies that examine the tree's ecology, management, and genetics. 

Open access copy available

Aspects de la régénération naturelle en forêt dense de Côte-d’Ivoire (Aspects of natural forest regeneration in Ivory Coast)

The author describes forest dynamics in the Ivory Coast. He discusses primarily forest regeneration as a process disturbed by perturbations that leave a gap in the canopy and notes that leading up to these disturbances, forested areas build up seed banks. The author concludes that characteristics of the disturbance determine future forest vegetation.

 

Open access copy available

Successions Post-Culturales en Foret Tropicale: Essai de Synthèse Bibliographique (Secondary succession in tropical forests: essay and bibliographic synthesis)

This article discusses four models of secondary succession (facilitation, inhibition, tolerance, and random). The authors examine the differences between the fundamental niche and the realized niche and they note that very little has been studied about ecosystem function of tropical forests.

 

Open access copy available

Crise de l’économie de plantation et modification du paysage agraire dans l’ancienne boucle du cacao: l’exemple de Daoukro (Economic Crisis of Plantation and Landscape Modification in the Former Cocoa Belt: The Example of Daoukro)

background

This article explores the history of agrarian transition in the Ivory Coast's former cacao belt. 

Conclusions & Takeaways

The shift away from cacao production to commodities like rubber, rice, cashews and oil palm results in changes in labor conditions and social relations. 

 

Open access copy available

Gestion durable des ressources forestières: Rapport pour les états généraux de la forêt, de la faune et des ressources en eau (Sustainable management of forest resources: report on the state of forest, fauna, and water resources)

The authors discuss causes for ecosystem degradation in Ivory Coast. They highlight problems of governance, inappropriate management techniques, industrial exploitation of minerals and production of charcoal, ultimately offering recommendations to improve forest management.

 

Open access copy available

Les légumineuses arborescentes dans les systèmes de production des zones sèches de Côte d'Ivoire (Arborescent leguminous plants in the production systems of dry zonesin Côte d’Ivoire)

The authors saught to identify woody legumes adapted to dry conditions of Côte d’Ivoire and to determine their success in reforestation. They describe 18 species of woody plants that were successful seven years after planting while also noting several species that responded well to coppicing under tropical dry conditions.

Available with subscription or purchase
Subscribe to Côte d’Ivoire