Results of planting activities in Cameroon's forestry companies

The workshop was chaired by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife, in the presence of various technical and financial partners (European Union, PPECF, COMIFAC, KFW, AFD, GIZ, etc.), representatives of the administration, actors from the private forestry sector, and researchers. The aim of the event was to share the results obtained and lessons learned from these major initiatives in reforestation, scientific research, and support for sustainable forest management in Cameroon, particularly those implemented by the UFA-REFOREST and RESSAC projects.

The UFA-REFOREST project, funded by the European Union, has been implemented since 2022 by the International Tropical Timber Technical Association (ATIBT) with technical support from Nature +, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (University of Liège) and ENSET (University of Douala). Four forestry companies in Cameroon (PALLISCO, AlpiCAM-GrumCAM, SEFAC, SEEF) have benefited from this project. By focusing on plantations, the UFA-REFOREST project has contributed to the achievement of the objectives of the Forest Governance Improvement Program (PAMFOR), the National Indicative Program (NIP) of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) for Cameroon, and the previous National Reforestation Program (PNR) managed by the National Agency for Forest Development Support (ANAFOR). The aim is to contribute to the sustainable management of timber production forests in Cameroon by mobilizing private and public actors around reforestation

and sustainable forest management strategies.

The EU's Applied Research Program in Ecology and Social Sciences of Central African Forest Ecosystems (RESSAC), via CIFOR-ICRAF, has been implemented in Cameroon since 2023 by the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, ENSET, and PALLISCO consortium. The RESSAC program has overseen two projects: “Estimation of the carbon balance of silvicultural enrichment in production forests” and “Growth dynamics and ecology of seedlings of the main commercial species in production forests.” Complementing the UFA REFOREST project, the RESSAC projects aim to gather fundamental scientific information that can be used to adapt silvicultural practices to the environmental conditions of planting sites and to assess the benefits for forestry companies of engaging in mechanisms linked to the carbon market or payment for environmental services.

This workshop was also an opportunity to present a new tool to support sustainable forest management: the Guide to Trees of Central Africa. This Guide, funded by the PPECF, is being implemented by numerous scientific institutions in the South and North. Its objective is to produce a guide to all the trees of Central Africa using high-quality photographs. It also aims to provide the most relevant information on the ecology of the different species and their conservation status.

After the formalities, the workshop followed a common thread: from seed to planting. It ended with the presentation of the book, which showcases the knowledge gained. The workshop was punctuated by a series of thematic presentations, each followed by discussions with the participants. We listened to five presentations in turn:

- Seed conservation and seedling light requirements, presented by Prof. Achille BIWOLE from ENSET at the University of Douala;

- Different types of plantations and their results, presented by Dr. Crispin ILUNGA (Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech);

- The carbon and financial balance of forest plantations, presented by Dr. Stéphane MOMO (Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech);

- Generalization and scaling up of forest plantations, presented by Yanick NKOULOU (ATIBT);

- Popularization and dissemination of knowledge: the new Guide to Trees of Central Africa, presented by Prof. Jean-Louis DOUCET of Gembloux Agro Bio Tech and Prof. Bonaventure SONKE of the University of Yaoundé 1.

At the end of the fascinating discussions and debates, this workshop made it possible to:

- Share concrete results on reforestation, forest plantations, and the regeneration of production forests with all stakeholders in the forestry sector in Cameroon;

Download the Guide to Trees of Central Africa here: https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/340142