Forest plantations in central Africa: A powerful tool for natural forest management, conservation and rehabilitation

Forest plantations have a long history in Central Africa, and although they have been undervalued due to the prominent tropical natural forests, the concept of forest plantations, with their flexibility and adaptability, is now considered a powerful tool for meeting local, national and regional needs. Of the benefits of forests plantations, this paper emphasizes on of the impact of such plantations on lowering the human induced impacts on natural forest degradation through logging or shifting cultivation. A review of past and existing forest plantation experiments in Central Africa has been carried out and examples are presented for various situations. The results show that forest plantations have tremendous potential and will have a significant impact, over the next few decades, on the global issues relating to tropical forests management systems. Natural forest management will progressively include plantations as a tool for landscape rehabilitation and economic value improvement. Large areas under sustainable management will shift towards a land use specialization, some of which will be dedicated to high production objectives. Forest plantations enhance the long term economical benefits and national needs through sustainable management of tropical forests and are fully compatible with high value conservation, biodiversity or social issues. (Résumé d'auteur