WP5: Restoration and CO2 sequestration
The main objective of WP5 is to take practical action in order to respond to desertification and land degradation. This has been done via an identification of well performing native species and restoration techniques and establishment of tree plantations including a carbon credit certification on one site in Senegal.
To ensure good and sustainable results on restoration of degraded ecosystems we conducted some key activities since the beginning of the project. A manual of 26 usefull species for restoration under different degradation stages (medium, high) and climatic zones (sahelian, sudanian) has been produced. In addition, seven sites have been established in the three countries involved in WP5 following a climatic gradient from Sahel to South-Sudanian zone: Patako Forest (Senegal), Bontioli, Dissin and Namoungou in the Sudanian zone and Dangadé in the Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso, the Reserve of Simiri and Tamou in Sahelian and Sudanian zone of Niger. In these sites, plantations were combined with two types of techniques: traditional (zaï, half-moon, agricultural benches and stone walls) and modern (deep ploughing). In total, 9651 trees belonging to 26 species have been planted on a total area of 57 hectares.
One site in Senegal was certified for carbon credit sale. Data collection on well performing species is in plantation sites is collected via monitoring of plant growth, survival rate, spontaneous vegetation cover and floristic composition. Finally, carbon sequestration modeling for improved carbon estimations was developed under different environmental conditions and allometric models were developed for some highly valued and well performing native species from the plantations.
Undesert
works to create an improved understanding of the effects of desertification and degradation processes in West Africa and to develop and implement best practices, such as carbon forestry, in close collaboration between scientists and local communities.Financed by EU-FP7.