Is planting trees in direct sowing possible in Switzerland? This is what we wanted to find out in the context of the “anything is possible” operation that we initiated in December 2021. Remember: as in Guinea, we were looking for several “field families” interested in making a plot of land available for reforestation, and several “seed families” ready to collect forest seeds to spread them on these plots.
After the formation of the groups and numerous exchanges throughout the year, to study the plots of land made available, to take into account the expectations of their owners, and to establish a procedure for the harvesting of seeds, the harvests could start in September. Each “seed family” was responsible for collecting the seeds of the tree species chosen for a specific plot.
And we all got together on Saturday 29 October to scatter all the seeds on the Herbolaria field in La Rippe!
Marking the reforested area was our first step, to prevent the young plants from being inadvertently cut down during agricultural work. We visualised the outer boundary of the reforested area with a light barrier for 80 metres. The aim was to create a protective forest hedge about one metre wide on the northern part of the land.
Then the actual sowing could begin: everyone took one or more species of seeds and a small scraper. To avoid predation by birds, each seed was sown in a small hole and then covered with soil. Fortunately, the soil had been freshly ploughed, which greatly facilitated the swarming! We had about 600 Byzantine hazelnut trees, 300 holly seeds, 200 elder seeds, 150 chestnuts, 50 walnuts, 400 acorns, 200 maple samaras, and a mixture of 400 peach and apricot pits. So about 2300 seeds to be distributed in 4 parallel lines along the 80 metre long northern edge of the field. Quite a job! Fortunately, the weather was very pleasant and the atmosphere friendly.
After planting trees it was great to regain our strengths over a succulent pumpkin soup!
Many thanks to Odile, Anne, Garance, Chantal and Philippe for your energy and stamina during this memorable day. See you in spring 2023 to admire the first shoots and measure the impact of the semi-direct!
ArboRise wins 3rd place at the “Prix Diaspora” of the Fedevaco !
The Diaspora and Development Prize is an initiative of the Federation of Cooperation of the Canton de Vaud, which aims to promote the involvement of the canton’s diasporas in the development of their countries of origin. Through this award, which takes place every two years, Fedevaco aims to increase the impact of diasporas in their home and host countries and to strengthen their position as actors of cooperation and sustainable development.
Since our vice-president, Mariame Camara, is originally from Guinea, it seemed relevant to us that arboRise submitted her application, which was accepted by Fedevaco (see the publication of 20 October 2021). We were thus able to follow the seven high-quality training modules and develop our development project in parallel, of which the following is a summary (the document is available on request):
In sub-Saharan Africa most urban families use charcoal for cooking. The nuisance for them is high and the recurring costs are high as well. On a global level, turning trees into charcoal is a major deforestation factor and increases global warming.
As an alternative, we recommend biogas, which works like a cow’s stomach: vegetable waste is introduced into a sealed tank – the biodigester – which converts it into methane, which is used for cooking instead of coal. The liquid that remains – the digestate – is an excellent fertiliser, also useful for fish farming. A few kilos of waste per day make a family self-sufficient. This saves them the cost of buying bags of charcoal, which represent about 10% of their annual expenses.
Our project aims to develop a small domestic biodigester production unit in Conakry with a technician trained in Burkina Faso, to sell this equipment to families on the outskirts of the city, who cook in an open yard and have access to vegetable waste. The production of a biodigester costs CHF 125/piece and will be totally made in Guinea.
A demonstrator will present the advantages of our solution at meetings of women’s associations in each neighbourhood. After two weeks of testing, each interested housewife will be able to purchase the biodigester with a system of staggered payments. In 18 months she will be the owner and will then save the cost of buying coal.
In addition to recycling vegetable waste (offcuts from market gardening), our technique will also provide organic fertiliser to farmers on the outskirts of Conakry, while reducing deforestation.
We are starting this year with a pilot phase to check the feasibility and feel the reaction of the market. We need CHF 6’000 to pre-finance the first 50 biodigesters.
This distinction honours us and we warmly thank Fedevaco for the organisation of this Prize. In addition to the lessons learnt from the training course, it also allowed us to meet some really great people. The passion and commitment of all 14 project leaders must be acknowledged here. Congratulations also to the other 3 winners!
Organising the harvest of forest seeds requires knowledge of the fruiting periods of each species. We recommend establishing a harvesting schedule according to the model in the table below, which is the result of our field surveys, combined with online resources [1]. The ideal harvest periods are shown in green (orange: possible start and end of harvest). They correspond to the ecosystem and climatic conditions in the Linko sub-prefecture. This overview of maturity periods allowed us to form three groups of species, to increase harvesting efficiency.
To optimise the germination rate with the method of direct seeding of seedballs, we then analysed four characteristics of our 40 species: seed dormancy and dormancy-breaking pre-treatments[2], seed propagation mode, seed weight and desiccation tolerance.
As dormancy can have an impact on the germination rate, we identified the type of dormancy [3] of each species according to the scientific literature [4]. Then, to determine the type of pre-treatment to be administered to each species to lift the dormancy, we consulted the practical recommendations of the Centre National de Semences Forestières de Ouagadougou, which is an authority on the topic in West Africa. One may note the little congruence between the scientific source and the experience of practitioners.
In the graph below, which represents the 40 species sorted by seed maturity period and the level of pre-treatment intensity recommended by practitioners, it can be seen (red dotted line) that species maturing in the dry season (November-April, on the left of the graph) need pre-treatment to lift their dormancy more often than those maturing before the rains arrive. The 17 dry season species have a pre-treatment intensity of 4.8, while the 23 wet season species have an intensity of 2.9. This seems logical since dry season germination would result in a high mortality rate for the seeds of these early species, which is why they more frequently have dormancy mechanisms.
In our experiment, we applied the required pre-treatments to test groups 1 and 3 to measure the impact of dormancy and of its lifting on germination rates. Our hypothesis was that coating could inhibit dormancy breakage (for physically dormant species) or delay it (for physiologically dormant species).
The seed propagation mode, in the table below, confirms our observation that species adopt different reproductive strategies, depending on whether they mature in the dry season or in the rainy season: in the group of 17 dry season species 7 species are anemochorous and 6 species are zoochorous, while the proportion of zoochorous is significantly higher among species that mature in the wet season:
Anemochorous
Zoochorous
Barochorous
Autochorous
Maturity in dry season
41%
35%
18%
6%
Maturity in the rainy season
22%
61%
9%
8%
It seems that dry season species rely more on natural elements (wind, gravity) for their dissemination. By contrast, rainy season species tend to use animals, perhaps because the latter, protected by the vegetation cover of the wet season, travel greater distances at this time of year. This zoochorous propagation of half of the 40 species selected by arboRise could, in the long term, naturally strengthen arboRise’s reforestation action (especially as the arboRise project aims, in the long term, to establish a forest corridor favouring the movement of fauna between the Haut-Niger national park in Guinea and the Comoé national park in Côte d’Ivoire).
The number of seeds per kilo, and therefore the average weight per seed, is not surprising: seeds spread by wind (anemochores) and self-propelled by explosion (autochores) are the lightest, whereas seeds spread by fauna (zoochores) or gravity (barochores) are the heaviest on average:
The weight per seed also matters in terms of the process of making seedballs, since heavy seeds are easier to handle.
More fundamentally, these observations raise several subsidiary questions:
Which types of seeds are most suitable for direct sowing? It could be hypothesised (2) that anemochorous, barochorous and autochorous species, which are naturally propagated by wind, gravity or explosion, are better suited to the semi-direct, than zoochorous species which sometimes require passage through the intestinal transit of the animal carrying them.
Which type of seed benefits most from being coated in clay and charcoal pellets? Here we can hypothesise (3) that coating is detrimental to physically dormant zoochorous species, which are intended to be swallowed and excreted, whereas other species are most often consumed and would benefit more from the protection of a pellet.
Our publication of 30 October will answer these questions and present all the final results of the experiment !
Reforestation is one of the main ways to fight global warming. To be sustainable, reforestation projects must meet the needs of local communities and work with – not against – nature. And to be cost-effective, they must use local resources – especially seeds – and minimise the complexity of the reforestation process. Direct seeding with seed pellets is a solution that meets both these requirements. How big is the germination rate with seedballs? We were curious to understand this question.
For tropical species, the average germination rate under direct seeding is 38% and the establishment rate is 17% [1]. Establishment performance can be improved by protecting the seeds from natural predators. This is done with the seedball technique [2]. Coating seeds with a natural mixture of clay and charcoal can prevent up to 30% of losses to rodents, birds and pests. Seedballs are currently used in reforestation in Kenya and Ivory Coast [3], but the performance of the seed ball technique has never been scientifically measured for African tree species. Most scientific experiments [4] involving seedballs target crops such as wheat, etc., and not trees. With the support of the Research Challenge of ETH for Development, we wanted to fill this scientific gap by comparing the germination rate with and without the seedball technique. Indeed, according to our statutes, arboRise’s mission is “to experiment with natural reforestation methods that enhance biodiversity and to share the results of these experiments“.
Experimentation method
The objective is to verify the validity of hypothesis (1), according to which the seedball method [5] has a positive impact on the germination rate of 40 tropical forest species in the Linko region of Guinea. The impact of a pre-treatment to lift dormancy will also be evaluated.
The field experiment was conducted by our local partner, the NGO GUIDRE (Guinée Développement Rural et Environnement) in Faranah. Mr Pépé Philippe Kpogomou, an agricultural engineer and Prefectural Director of the Environment, Water and Forests in Kérouané and then in Faranah, supervised all the work and implementation.
The experiment was structured as follows:
An experimental area of about 1 hectare was identified in Linko, cleared, and then surrounded by a 220m fence to prevent livestock from grazing on the shoots
At the end of the harvest in each group of villages, 800 seeds of each species were collected. The seeds from the first and second groups were stored in sealed plastic bags until the seeds from the third group were harvested. Then all seeds were brought to Linko for pre-treatment.
To compare the germination rate, from 11 to 13 May 2022, the 800 seeds per species were treated as follows:
Control group: 200 seeds of each of the 40 species, without any pre-treatment or coating (“naked” seeds)
Test Group 1: 200 seeds of each of the 40 species, with pre-treatment to break dormancy [6]
Test Group 2: 200 seeds of each of the 40 species, without any pre-treatment but with a clay/charcoal coating
Test Group 3: 200 seeds of each of the 40 species, with pre-treatment to break dormancy and with a clay/charcoal coating
Then, on 14 May 2022, the groups of 200 seeds were sown with a line and a row spacing of 25cm between each seed and 50cm between each row. Each block of one species is separated from the block of the next species by 50cm. Each block is identified by a separate sign.
The germination rate of each line was measured (shoots were counted) once on 18-19 July 2022 and again on 15-16 August 2022.
The results of the experiment are currently being analysed and will be published shortly. Thanks to ETH4D for its financial support and to the entire GUIDRE team for its ability to meet the challenges of the field!
arboRise presents the film “Kamsé’s Perimeter” to fuel the discussion about reforestation projects.
In the context of climate change, the news is often depressing and there are many preconceived ideas:
…about reforestation: it would not be sustainable, it would be greenwashing, it would harm local populations, etc.
…about Africa as well: belief in the impossibility of setting up projects, negative prejudices about the African mentality, idealization of the African peasant, etc.
It is all the more important to talk about projects that work, to correct prejudices. This is why arboRise wanted to share “le périmètre de Kamsé“, a film by Olivier Zuchuat, a Swiss director from the French-speaking part of Switzerland, with the audience of La Ferme des Tilleul. This documentary film shows an image that is quite close to the reality that we also observe in Guinea. We see a form of popular uprising for reforestation, and at arboRISE the uprising speaks to us.
At the end of the evening, with an audience transported into the Sahelian reality, we can retain that there are reforestation projects that work in Africa, each adapted to its context. There is no need for immense means to finance the initial impulse and create a virtuous circle. This is what arboRise has demonstrated since 2021.
Since the implementation of our project in the Linko region is going well, we are considering extending our project to the neighbouring Beyla Prefecture. We are therefore starting a two-day prospection to check that the social and environmental conditions are similar to those in the Linko sub-prefecture and that our method can be applied there in the same way.
Our exploration will take us to the capital of the sub-prefecture of Karala. On this map, we can see the Ivorian border to the north-east, but even without obstacles, we can easily triple the time indicated by Google Maps:
But our route is full of pitfalls, starting with a tree trunk across the road, following the violent storm of the previous night:
Then we cross the Dion river, a tributary of the Niger river.
Then, just before nightfall, our vehicle refuses to continue, and this in the middle of the bush! A mechanic and an electrician have to be brought in from Samana (35 km away) to find the cause of the breakdown. These two gentlemen are not only examples of customer orientation but also true repair artists!
…Just after leaving, this is what we find 20 km from our destination:
..fortunately, it was possible to ford the river, and we arrive in Karala at about 11 pm.
Hospitality is not an empty word in Guinea as the Mayor, whom we probably woke up, immediately opens the town’s Maison d’Accueil for us for the night, where rooms, which can be described as luxurious, await us.
The next morning we explained our approach and the arboRise method to the Sub-Prefect, the Mayor and the head of Water and Forests of the Karala sub-prefecture, who undertook to provide us with a list of potentially interested villages.
The return from the borders of Guinea (Karala is 50km from the Ivorian border) went well and confirmed the suitability of this region for our project (same types of trees, same development conditions, etc.). We can now plan a more detailed concept.
Just before Linko, a shock absorber breaks and the women farmers who were ploughing the next field come to shake our hands, long live the Guinean kindness!
It is on this fraternal image that our prospection mission ends.
To be more efficient, this activity is done in groups: everyone stands on one side of the field to be planted, in two lines with a space of two metres between each person. The people in the first line each make a small hole in front of them with the hoe, then take two large steps forward and repeat the operation. The people in the back line then place a seedball in each hole and take two large steps forward to the next hole. And so on to the other end of the field.
In this way a density of 5000 diverse seedballs per hectare is achieved, of which about 60% will germinate during the rainy season. Spot seeding eliminates weeds around the sapling and facilitates root penetration into the soil. It also prevents the pellet from rolling off the field when a heavy rainfall falls.
Direct seeding makes it easy for the whole population to participate and creates a collective enthusiasm that motivates everyone.
Today, we visited 7 plots sown last year to measure the germination and survival rate. Suspense! Will the seedlings survive the drought, herbivores, fire and competition from other species?
The observations are very interesting and motivating!
Firstly, at this time of year, the abundant vegetation makes it difficult to identify “our” shoots. So there is no need to use aerial images with our drone, it is green on green. On one of the plots of land, the shoots exceed human size:
The second observation is that natural regeneration also takes care of our fields: many seeds present in the soil or brought by animals have also germinated and it takes the trained eye of our partner Guidre to count the “good” shoots. Fortunately having sown in line helps to spot our plants 🌱🪴
Thirdly there are huge differences between plots, caused mainly by fire and also the nature of the terrain. If the plot has been hit by a bushfire, the seedlings with too short roots die while the others sprout and can survive. This is why we started this year to make “poquets” (small holes in the soil) before placing the seed pellet, which favours the depth of the roots. Of the seven plots visited, two had a survival rate of practically zero, while the other five had a survival rate of between 60% and 80% (not counting natural regeneration!!!).
Fourth observation: it is mainly certain pioneer species that have germinated. The seeds of other species will wait for the right moment, sometimes for several years.
Fifthly: some owners have decided of their own free will to enrich the plantation with other species (alas, often with cashew).
If we count the number of stems from all origins (arboRise direct seeding and natural regeneration), we get roughly 10,000 stems per hectare, or 1 plant per square metre (which is much higher than the 5,000 seed pellets we sow on each hectare). This density will decrease over the next few years, due to natural competition between the trees, until it reaches about 1000 trees per hectare in twenty years.
Beyond the germination rate, it is also the biodiversity to which arboRise contributes, since we facilitate the dispersion of our mix of 40 species on the land we sow.
The training of the Community Management Committees has started!
As a reminder, in each of the 26 villages where arboRise carries out its reforestation activities, we have formed a Community Management Committee of 15 to 17 members (including several women) whose mission is to develop activities and infrastructures for the population (in all areas: environment, agriculture, health, mobility, etc.).
For 2 days we welcome 52 delegates (2 per CMC) from the 26 villages to Linko. They are provided with food and accommodation and receive a comprehensive training on good governance, good leadership behaviour, structuring their committee and building hedgerows.
At the official introduction to the seminar the Sub-Prefect made a strong plea for the project and formulated very clear expectations in particular to eliminate the practice of slash and burn (as required by Guinean law). All the official speeches are recorded by a journalist and broadcast in full several times on the local radio, which allows us to explain our approach in all the villages that are not yet participating and to prepare the ground for the future.
Each delegation will then pass on this knowledge to the other members of the Committee in each village. A first step towards the sustainability of our action! Indeed, developing local skills and empowering communities is essential to ensure a sustainable impact of our action. Capacity Building belongs to the Sustainable Development Goals !
The Community Management Committees also form a platform for the exchange of good practices: they are encouraged to identify good examples in their village and to share these models with the CMCs in other villages. The CMCs will also assist farmers who are short of manpower to build firebreaks and hedgerows. In this way, a positive emulation and mutual help is created within the whole region, a wish frequently expressed by the population in interviews conducted by Léa Ackerer in April 2022.
Back in Guinea to conclude our 2021-2022 reforestation campaign and draw conclusions just before the winter season. The rains have already started and the country is a real paradise. The countryside is green, the mango trees are bursting with fruit, the clothes look even more colourful than usual, and the trees are not to be outdone, like this magnificent flamboyant in bloom:
With our partner Guidre we start with a series of workshops to draw the lessons from the six months of campaigning in the field: what worked well? what surprised us? what were the obstacles? how do people feel about our approach? etc. By cross-checking everyone’s perceptions with the observations from Léa Ackerer’s interviews, we get a fairly coherent overall picture of our impact and the potential for improvement.
Then we list all the risks of our project together. Collective intelligence ensures that nothing is forgotten and that each threat is assessed at its true value (level of impact, degree of probability). And of course, for each risk we identify the prevention or mitigation measures.
The next topic is the quality of our partnership, which is very important to us! As our cultural filters are different, we tackle the question from the perspective of experience and share significant anecdotes that, on both sides, have marked our perception of each other, both good and bad. After looking back and we look forward and formulate our respective wishes for the future strengthening of our partnership.
We end with a game of arboRise, which shows that our field supervisors are well aware of all the levers of prosperity and know how to manage their cultivation choices admirably. Our project offers an alternative to cashew monoculture that allows the population to benefit from the income from carbon credits.
In conclusions: our strong partnership allows us to anticipate risks and simulate several scenarios to optimise our environmental and social impact.
