WeForest
Making Earth Cooler
Greening the desert
Burkina Faso
To stop the Sahel and build the “Great Green Wall”
Summary In the Sahel, in the Northeast of Burkina Faso, WeForest contributes to replanting the native forest and reverse the decline in biodiversity affecting the ‘Partial faunal reserve of Ansongo-Menaka’, whilst promoting a sustainable local economy. The undisturbed Sahelian landscape is characterised by dryland forest that traditionally provided essential services to the local people. For over three decades, patterns of low and unreliable rainfall, severe droughts, coupled with human over exploitation of the terrain, have led to a stark deforestation and degradation of the soil. As a consequence, hundreds of hectares of land have become bare. Moreover, the progressive desertification has placed the local communities and nomadic herdsmen at continuous risk of food crises. Our local partner engages the neighbouring villages to transform the bare land to a fertile, biologically diverse and productive forest that provides livelihood to the region, empowers women and brings education to children. Stopping the desert The project aims to protect this highly vulnerable region of the Burkina Faso Sahel from further degradation and impacts of climate change. The objectives are to: • Plant up to 500,000 trees per annum or 500 ha; • Support biodiversity of both plant and animal species • Restore the local water cycle and bring clouds back to the region • Develop local awareness of sustainable use and management of natural resources and • Promote the local economy while focusing on women’s financial empowerment and children’s education. A hydraulic plow has to be used to scarify the very hard soil surface.
Local awareness of sustainable use and management of natural resources are developed.
Farmers and transhumant herders get trained Our local partners work closely with the local farmers and transhumant herders in the area to combat the desertification in the Sahel. Both men and women from adjoining villages are trained in sustainable agro-forestry practices. Drawing on local expertise, we select the most suitable varieties of native tree and herb species, encouraging pollinators and other animals into the area. Many of the selected species are nitrogen-fixing that contribute to soil improvement.
Nurseries are not needed To prepare the land for seed sowing, a hydraulic plow is used to scarify the very hard soil surface and dig ‘half-moon’ earth embankments. These basins function to hold organic matter and nutrients and are capable of storing up to 1,000 litres of rain water. With this procedure seeds can be sown directly in the soil and wait to flourish with the onset of rains. Men and women from adjoining villages are trained in sustainable agro-forestry practices.
The local community guards the plants from browsing livestock, against potential fires, and harmful human practices.
Protection is a community commitment To ensure sustainability and long-term success, stakeholders engage in all stages of the reforestation project, from seed collection to the protection of the newly established forest. The local community guards the trees from browsing livestock, potential fires and harmful human practices. Fighting climate change and much more Consequently, there are direct benefits for the local farmers and agropastoralists whose economy and wellbeing is strongly dependant on the health of the ecosystem. Once established, the forest will provide a large range of services to the local population including grazing pasture for livestock, medicinal and culinary plants, Arabic gum, building materials and plant fibres used in basketry. This area is also part of the Great Green Wall (Grande Muraille Verte), a project developed by the African Union to face desertification in South Sahara. The project, held by eleven African countries, aims at reforesting 15 million hectares along a 15 km-wide, 7,775 km-long belt, from Dakar to Djibouti1 .
The most suitable varieties of native tree and herb species are selected.
Children are expected to benefit from access to education. 1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Green_Wall
© all Photos:OZG
Women and children at the centre In addition, local women who are traditionally barred from earning wages are envisaged as key beneficiaries. Communities must agree to women’s right to benefit from the financial opportunity generated by the forest. Moreover, as a result of an improved economy, a larger number of children are expected to benefit from access to education. Endangered species From a conservation point of view, the re-generation of a species rich landscape enhances the biodiversity of the region and will particularly aid the recovery of the partial faunal reserve of Ansongo-Menaka, the habitat of the much endangered Sulcata tortoise. Your donations have a real impact We stand by our values. To ensure that our work has a strong impact, WeForest monitors a number of relevant indicators that tell us how well the forest and the local communities are doing.
Contact us: volunteers@weforest.org Tel +32 (0) 23 08 49 43 www.weforest.org WeForest is currently registered as a non-profit organization in Belgium Tax deductible in USA and most of Europe. Please contact us for details IBAN BE75 7340 2955 0451 • BIC: KREDBEBB, KBC Jezus-Eik, Belgium