ForestInnov - Innovative Forestry Plantations

Description

Ivory Coast is facing a reduction in its forest area. Its timber industry, and the entire sector, is in decline due to the scarcity of precious trees. The project's ultimate goal is to significantly improve the production of timber from indigenous species through mixed plantations. This is an innovative theme, as tree plantations in Africa are almost exclusively monospecific plantations of exotic species. Mixed plantations have shown on other continents a better resilience to climatic hazards and emerging diseases, a positive impact on animal and plant biodiversity, an improvement of environmental services, which positively impacts agricultural production and the well-being of populations.
Côte d'Ivoire is the only African country to have, for more than 50 years, installed more than 80 ha of plantations with at least 130 indigenous species, from the south to the north of the country. These plantations have not been measured since 2000. The ForestInnov project aims to

• Improve knowledge of the behaviour and growth of indigenous species;
• Install a demonstration and experimental plot with the most promising species associations;
• To popularise the technical itineraries of mixed plantations through the creation of a website, the production of educational films and the holding of a feedback workshop.

To implement this project, CIRAD, the lead partner, is working with Sodefor, CNRA, INP-HB and the PG Coulibaly University in Korhogo. These organisations have been involved for many years in the study of forests, the establishment of forest plantations and university training. They have a long history of working together.
The results will be widely disseminated through a demonstration plot to forest and agroforestry planters for rapid application in the field. The publication of the results to the scientific and academic world will allow them to be widely disseminated so that they can be used as soon as they are obtained for the training of students, which will allow them to be valued in the long term.