[en] Introduction:
Planting high‐value timber species in logged forests can contribute to long‐term wood availability. Although log yards, forest clearings where harvested logs are temporarily stored, may be suitable planting areas for light‐demanding timber species, soil compaction by heavy vehicles may affect species performance.
Objectives:
We evaluated the survival and growth of high‐value native timber species planted in former log yards in Cameroon.
Methods:
We planted seedlings of 11 species in 147 log yards in two forest concessions in south‐east Cameroon, monitoring 4453 saplings during one to 6 years. We assessed the effects of species, time since planting, soil ripping with bulldozer claws down to 40 cm, and log yard area on sapling survival and growth using linear mixed‐effects models.
Results
Survival rates varied among species and time, averaging 83.1% 1–2 years since planting and rising to 94.1% between 1 and 2 years and 3 and 6 years. Seven species maintained annual survival rates above 80% throughout. Survival rates did not vary with soil ripping or log yard area (108–990 m2). Growth rates varied between species and time since planting with the highest increments in diameter observed for Terminalia superba(20.6 mm/year) andPterocarpus soyauxii (12.2 mm/year). Sapling growth did not increase with the log yard area. Soil ripping affected the growth of a few species, such asT. superba, which grew faster in ripped log yards.
Conclusions:
This study supports the planting of native tree species in Central Africa's former log yards and outlines key implementation challenges.
Biwole, Achille ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion des ressources forestières ; Laboratory of Forest Resources and Wood Valorisation, Advanced Teacher's Training College for Technical Education The University of Douala PO Box 1872 Douala Cameroon
Ligot, Gauthier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion des ressources forestières
Eyezoo, Roberto D. M.; Laboratory of Forest Resources and Wood Valorisation, Advanced Teacher's Training College for Technical Education The University of Douala PO Box 1872 Douala Cameroon
Doucet, Robin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion des ressources forestières
Brostaux, Yves ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Modélisation et développement
Doucet, Jean-Louis ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Gestion des ressources forestières
Language :
English
Title :
Planting high‐value timber species in log yards in a Central African rainforest
This study was supported with the financial assistance of the European Union (CRIS: 2020/419-588) through the project Reforestation of the forest management units of Cameroon (UFA-Reforest), implemented by the Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT) and Nature+ asbl. It was also made possible with the support of the Applied Research in Ecology and Social Sciences in Support of the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa (RESSAC) program implemented by CIFOR-ICRAF, and with the financial assistance of the European Union. We would like to thank the host companies Pallisco, through R. Fétéké, Mindourou site Manager, and Alpicam-GrumCam, through M. Moscatelli, Site Manager, for their support in the field. We thank our field team R. Mankono, N. Lamekone, B. Ompouam, and S. Mpouam from Pallisco, and O. Mbick II, F. Mefouta, S. Ndjembe, M. Haladji, and R. Mongolo for Alpicam-GrumCam for their hard work. We also thank S. T. Kehou, J.-A. Zigigie, A. Jiofack, and J.-Y. De Vleeschouwer for logistical assistance. We thank three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.
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