Tropical silviculture in dense African forest (Part 1)

Abstract

This is the first part of a study by the author on the development of forestry methods for humid African forests, with a comparison of the results obtained in each case. The subsequent articles deal with the results achieved in forestry research in recent years, and include a discussion, in the light of research results, of the forestry methods in use at the time of writing. The author also describes a new method that takes account of past experience as well as recent ideas. We felt it would be of interest to publish this study today, at a time when African governments are planning to promote reforestation or rehabilitation programmes in humid forests. This has become essential as a result of the steadily increasing extent of logging in African forests, which is necessary to boost African economies but is undeniably depleting their forest capital.