Diversity of Woody Species in Djamde Wildlife Reserve, Northern Togo, West Africa

Abstract

Djamde Wildlife Reserve, with an area of about 8,000 ha, is located in Kozah prefecture (Kara region in northern Togo), between 9°31’ and 9°35’ N latitude and 1°01’ and 1°05’ E longitude. This reserve was created by the merger in 2003 of the classified forests of Djamde and Kindja. These two forests were classified respectively by Decision No. 766-54/EF and No. 765-54/EF signed on July, 29th 1954 by the colonial authority. To date, there is still no legislative enactment that establishes Djamde’s reserve status. Since 2003, its management has been granted to TOGO-FAUNE Company. Different plant communities identified are: clear forests, gallery forests, shrubby savannas and a mosaic of wooded/tree savannas. The inventory of woody species carried out on circular plots, allowed to identify 126 ligneous species distributed in 40 botanical families and 94 genera. Eleven of these species are classified in the IUCN Red List with the status of “extinction risk”. The pressures on the biodiversity of Djamde’s reserve include poaching, wood fuel production and vegetation fires. Aim of this project is to create an Ecological Corridor between Wildlife Reserve and Sarakawa’s Park and to promote public-private partnership in protected area management.

Keywords

• biodiversity
• woody species
• Djamde
• wildlife reserve
• Togo
• poaching
• wood fuel
• vegetation fires
• vulnerable species