End of project evaluation : Africare reforestation in five rural villages

Final evaluation covers the period 5/80-12/81 and is based on discussions with project participants and site visits. Achievement of project objectives has exceeded expectations. A total of 190 ha of communal forests - 90% more than planned - have been planted and the tree survival rate is 90%. Some trees are already over 2 m tall and could yield valuable wood for construction in a year or two. Cost per ha was approximately $770, well below that of large-scale plantations, which can reach $1,000. Possibilities for replicating the project's successful small-scale approach to reforestation, which may turn out to have a far greater income-generating potential than expected, are good. A model collaborative approach to project implementation was established between the GOS Forest Service and local villagers, who performed more than half of the planting work on an unpaid, self-help basis; the GOS provided equipment support at critical points. Trees were obtained from regional GOS, rather than village, nurseries; the latter were not established due to the unavailability of sufficient water and/or Forest Service field agents. Maintenance during the first year dry period was excellent; the Forest Service helped in some areas with tractors and disks where villagers could not keep up with weeds and a risk of fire was present. Maintenance of some tree plots is currently lagging, and tall grass which has grown up is a fire hazard. Options for ensuring continued maintenance have been discussed and specific, locally-funded activities planned. While the grant agreement envisioned using harvested trees for firewood, current plans are to sell the wood for use in construction. Unequal inputs by participating villagers may give rise to difficulties in distributing project benefits. A second evaluation should be undertaken at cutting time to determine this question. Such an evaluation should include the work of a sociologist familiar with communal forestry in Senegal, preferably, in light of the the traditional link between women and firewood, a woman. The question of tenure of land used for tree plots must also be addressed.