Tropical Ecology Research Institute (IRET)
IRET is the Regional Focal Point Organisation for Central Africa.
Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale (IRET), CENAREST (Gabon),
regional focal point organisation for Central Africa. The IRET/CENAREST wrote
the concept note about the first thematic of program one (Tropical forests
and climate change mitigation with a focus on forest degradation). Our
drafts were sent to the Project Coordinator before the deadline set for the 29th
February 2008. Our comments made on the Project application forms were also sent
prior to April 2008 as recommended on the Brussels workplan.
Other results after the SC meeting in Brussels were that activities and
contacts have been set at the national, regional and international levels:
- On the 13th February 2008 in Libreville (Gabon), all Gabonese
researchers were invited by the Head of CENAREST to attend a general meeting
which presented the ACP-FORENET Project.
- More meetings have been set with researchers from National Research
Institutes in Gabon (Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, Institut
de Recherches Agronomiques et Forestières, Institut de Pharmacopée et de
Médecines Traditionnelles, Institut de Recherches Technologiques, Direction
Générale de l’Environnement). Contacts were also established with local
representatives of international organisations (WCS, WWF, OAB/OIBT).
MORE
Research Station: Makokou/Ipassa
The Ipassa Research Station is accessible from Libreville after one
hour by airplane (twice a week on Tuesday and Saturday up to Makokou
city), or about twelve hours later either by car or with the train
(through the town of Booué). The Station is approximately ten
kilometers away from Makokou. Located within the Ivindo National
Park (PNI), the Station forms part of the Research Institute in
Tropical Ecology (IRET), which is under the authority of the
National Center for Scientific and Technological Research (CENAREST).
In 1983, Ipassa was recognized and classified by UNESCO as a MAB
Biosphere Reserve.
The missions of the Ipassa Research Station are: 1) to reinforce the
scientific and technical capacities with regard to forest management and
conservation in Gabon and Central Africa; 2) to generate scientific knowledge on
the sustainable forest management. A policy of collaboration based on in situ
training programmes was developed; as a result more than thirty doctorate theses
and tens of Master’s degree reports were submitted. Since 1962, over 200
researchers from various countries have realized numerous scientific studies at
the Station. Several specialists also took part in many research activities by
conducting laboratory analyses on the collected biological material. A
specialized scientific review, “Biologia gabonica”, was launched and published
until 1972.
With more than 800 publications, the surrounding area of the Ipassa Research
Station is one of the most studied forest lands in Africa. Scientific results
already published represent an important sum of knowledge compiled in various
fields (floristic and faunistic inventories, climatology and pedology, plant and
animal biology, forest dynamics, interaction fauna-flora, agroforestry, etc).
The Station can accommodate 25 people. Living facilities available on the site
include a canteen, a kitchen, a laundry, and drinking water. Scientists can also
make use of a library (with more than 700 books and publications), a herbarium
(with more than 1000 specimens), an experimental zoo, ten laboratory rooms and
various experimental plots laid out in the forest areas within the Ivindo
National Park (Ipassa, Kongou, and Djidji stations). Technical facilities
comprise an internet connection, computers, phone access, a garage with two
vehicles 4x4 for the field activities, four speedboat engines for touring or
scientific studies on the Ivindo river and its tributaries, and various field
equipments (canvas cover, tents, rucksacks, generating sets, motor chain-saws,
etc).
In 2002, a four years’ project funded by the European Union allowed the
rehabilitation and the restarting of research activities at the Research Station
(PSVAP, Component II, Makokou). The objectives of this project were achieved in
collaboration with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the
technical partner of IRET. Today, the Station is fully functional.
Contact persons:
Dr Ludovic Ngok Banak (Director)
Email: ngokl@yahoo.fr
IRET Representative in the Steering Committee Dr Joseph Okouyi Okouyi (Scientist)
Email: joseph_okouyi@cenarestgabon.org
IRET Focal Point Person to the project Pr Daniel Frank Idiata Mayombo (High Commissioner CENAREST)
Email:
Idiata@yahoo.fr
Member of the Scientific Advisory Group
|
Print Version