REGENERATION OF SYLVOPASTORAL LANDS IN THE SAHEL ZONE UNDER VILLAGE MANAGEMENT CONDITIONS

This article reports the results of a study aimed to develop an approa ch for the rehabilitation of sylvopastoral lands that would be applica ble and sustainable under local village-management conditions. Stabili zation measures involved protection against exploitation activities du ring a period of five years, with accompanying low-cost restoration me asures (all locally known) including (i) alignments of dead wood along the contour, (ii) spreading (mulching) of dead wood, and (iii) alignm ents of small stones along the contour. Monitoring demonstrated remark able and continuing regeneration of the vegetation, with restoration m easures clearly accelerating such regeneration. Low-intensity grazing did not appear to be harmful. The study also demonstrated the synergy between the herbaceous and woody plant layers. However, village manage ment of the area was increasingly neglected, and after the five-year p eriod exploitation levels reverted back to normal, so that the results will not be sustained. This was due to neglect of socio-economic issu es, including insufficient insight into the norms and values attribute d by the villagers to such low potential sylvopastoral lands. Future r esearch should focus on the socio-economic aspects of land rehabilitat ion, as technical means are widely known, including appropriate low-co st measures based on local practices. Recommendations focus on princip les and steps to be undertaken for successful and sustainable land reh abilitation. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.