VertigO (Dec 2005)
Les forêts sacrées de l’aire Ouatchi au sud-est du Togo et les contraintes actuelles des modes de gestion locale des ressources forestières
Abstract
This study was achieved in relict sacred forests, which are very important for their role as a safeguard of biodiversity in the human-populated region of southeast of Togo. They are semi deciduous forest fragments of which area range from a few square meters to tens of hectares. Floristic analysis showed that mean richness is 75 species per fragment. This richness increases according to the size area. A total of 423 plant species regrouped in 300 genera and 84 families were inventoried. Among them, about fifteen species are new, i.e. not available in the collection of herbarium nor annotated in the flora of Togo. Interviews with the populations allowed to know that these sacred forests are considered as an important part of the heritage in the riparian villages, as they are sometimes useful catchment areas for rivers and provide to the populations some minor non timber forest products (fruits, medicinal plants, lianas, animals). But facing the present social and economic mutations, the local practices of management are unable to protect the sacred forests and their biodiversity.
