Foundations for silviculture in dense humid tropical forests in Africa.

The FORAFRI project has, since 1996, been collating and synthesizing over 30 years of tropical forest research undertaken in central and western Africa. This volume provides a synthesis of knowledge and experience of silvicultural techniques in West and Central Africa, in order to promote sustainable forest management of tropical forests in the region. The work is arranged in five chapters. Chapter 1 summarizes tropical forest vegetation types in the Guinea-Congolese biogeographic region. Chapter 2 briefly outlines logging practices, the effects of logging on forest ecosystems (including soil, natural regeneration, understorey and ground vegetation), and types of harvesting. Chapter 3, Natural regeneration and forest stand structure, summarizes natural forest dynamics, natural regeneration, and techniques for monitoring and measuring it, citing case studies based on some experimental sites in Africa - Cote d'Ivoire (Yapo, Irobo, Mopri), Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon and Congo Democratic Republic [formerly known as Zaire]. Specific natural regeneration methods (e.g., Tropical Shelterwood system, High Shade Shelterwood System) used in humid tropical forests are also described. Chapter 4 describes forest fire, giving results from experimental sites in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, and discusses fire protection, particularly in the forest/savanna transition zone. Chapter 5, Silvicultural techniques and methods, covers: inventories; methods used in natural forests (with many case studies cited) - thinning, silvicultural conversion, the Selective Management System; enrichment methods; conversion techniques (taungya, other agrisilvicultural methods), and all types of forest plantations; and the selection of silvicultural techniques. Chapter 6 provides concluding sections on topics such as the socioeconomic context (e.g., land tenure issues), and the importance of an integrated approach to forest management. There are 4 appendices, listing commercial species in Cote d'Ivoire, Central African Republic and Cameroon, and a short article by P. Detienne on annual growth rings of tropical trees. There is also a glossary.