Conservation: naturalisation,

Conservation: naturalisation, domestication and ecotourism When problems arise in forestry, such as disappearing species, or local communities being withheld access to the forest, the usual reaction is to make use of two agroforestry techniques: naturalisation and domestication. The process of naturalisation involves taking an exotic plant (meaning it has come from elsewhere) and acclimatising it to an environment similar to its original habitat. With domestication, wild plants are tended, or even cultivated, without changing their genetic structure. According to a study by Léonie Bonnéhin of Wageningen Agricultural University on farmer domestication of forest fruit trees, experiences with the makoré fruit tree in the western part of the Taï national park in Côte d Ivoire have shown that this approach helps to maintain or restore the biodiversity. Another approach is to build conservation strategies around ecotourism, as in Ghana, Surinam and the archipelago of Sao Tomé e Principe, aiming to instil harmony between tourism and the environment. Modest and unobtrusive buildings and infrastructures blend into the countryside and local community life, thus assisting the maintenance of forest ecosystems and the restoration of areas that have been damaged by overuse. Ecotourism can also lead to reforestation projects, the establishment of nurseries, the distribution of plants to local small farmers and technical assistance in soil conservation.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
Format:	News Item biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation 2000
Online Access:	https://hdl.handle.net/10568/46910 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99591
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