Forestry; Conservation of Natural Resources; Forests; Fires; Grassland; Biodiversity
Abstract :
[en] African bistable savannas have important biodiversity value and merit conservation. At the same time, forest restoration is a nature-based solution that can be used to increase biodiversity, carbon stocks, and human well-being. Here we describe an experiment based on natural forest regeneration through the exclusion of anthropogenic fire. We show that it is easier to let nature do its work instead of channeling it into an artificial man-made ecosystem through human-induced burning or planting. We emphasize that nature-based solutions must be biome-appropriate and the choice between restoring forests or protecting savannas requires a thorough understanding of the local context.
Disciplines :
Agriculture & agronomy Environmental sciences & ecology Phytobiology (plant sciences, forestry, mycology...) Life sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
Djiofack, Brice Yannick ; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Service of Wood Biology, Tervuren, Belgium ; Laboratory of Wood Technology (UGent-Woodlab), Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium ; Wood Laboratory of Yangambi, Yangambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Beeckman, Hans ; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Service of Wood Biology, Tervuren, Belgium ; Wood Laboratory of Yangambi, Yangambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bourland, Nils ; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Service of Wood Biology, Tervuren, Belgium ; Wood Laboratory of Yangambi, Yangambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Belanganayi, Basile Luse ; Forest Is Life, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
Laurent, Félix ; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Service of Wood Biology, Tervuren, Belgium ; Laboratory of Wood Technology (UGent-Woodlab), Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium ; Wood Laboratory of Yangambi, Yangambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ilondea, Bhely Angoboy; Institut National Pour l'Études et la Recherche Agronomiques, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nsenga, Laurent; World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Huart, Alain; Texaf Bilembo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Longwwango, Menard Mbende; World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Deklerck, Victor ; Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK ; Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium
Lejeune, Geert; World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Verbiest, William W M ; Laboratory of Wood Technology (UGent-Woodlab), Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Van den Bulcke, Jan ; Laboratory of Wood Technology (UGent-Woodlab), Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Van Acker, Joris ; Laboratory of Wood Technology (UGent-Woodlab), Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
De Mil, Tom ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Gestion des ressources forestières
Hubau, Wannes ; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Service of Wood Biology, Tervuren, Belgium ; Laboratory of Wood Technology (UGent-Woodlab), Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium ; Wood Laboratory of Yangambi, Yangambi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
VLIR-UOS - Flemish Interuniversity Council. Bureau UOS CIFOR - Centre for International Forestry Research BELSPO - Belgian Federal Science Policy Office
Funding text :
Belgian Directorate-General Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD): PilotMAB and PilotMABplusBelspo Afriford, Grant/Award Number: BR/132/A1/AFRIFORD; Belspo Biospheretraits, Grant/Award Number: BL/37/UN31; VLIR-UOS; Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Grant/ Award Number: EEC40; Belgian Science Policy Office (Belspo), Grant/Award Number: FED-tWIN2019-prf- 075; Belspo HerbaXylaRedd, Grant/Award Number: BR/143/A3 HERBAXYLAREDD
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