Audit of the reforestation policy in Côte d'Ivoire and implementation of a cartographic database of reforestation in the protected forest area

This project is part of the definition and implementation of a new forestry policy in RCI. Many questions are formulated by the authorities on the success of reforestation, long considered as a model, but undermined by anthropic pressures in constant increase.

The general objective of the audit of the reforestation policy is to carry out a diagnosis of the reforestation process in Côte d'Ivoire from 1928 to date, to draw lessons for future reforestation, to develop a guide for the conduct of the reforestation policy and to set up a cartographic database of reforestation in the protected forest area.

The activities took place in 4 concomitant phases:

• An exhaustive bibliographical analysis on the subject of reforestation in the RCI was carried out and completed by field observations. After a review of the recommended methods, the impacts of actual practices on the quality of reforestation were identified and described.
• Field surveys (qualitative and quantitative data) were carried out on nearly 200 plots distributed according to a representative sample. The results concern in particular the evolution of reforestation and the real performances measured. We were thus able to propose a global reading of the current state of the planted massif.
• Conclusions and recommendations are formulated at all levels of reforestation management (institutional, technical, social, environmental, economic, etc.) and avenues of renewal are suggested for a new dynamic in forest plantations and the sustainable implementation of new silvicultural models such as agro-forests
• Finally, a guide to reforestation policy in the RCI is written. This guide deals successively with the place of reforestation in the new forest rehabilitation strategy, the necessary evolution of technical itineraries and the monitoring/evaluation chain. Ways are proposed to improve the functioning of the main organizations involved in reforestation.

In parallel, a database allowing the recording of information related to plantations and reforestation has been developed by our partner ALTEREO. This database is coupled with a GIS tool allowing the spatial visualization of data.