Planting high-value timber species in log yards in a Central African rainforest

Planting high-value timber species in logged forests can contribute to long-term wood availability. Although log yards, forest clearings where harvested logs are temporarily stored, may be suitable planting areas for light-demanding timber species, soil compaction by heavy vehicles may affect species performance.
We evaluated the survival and growth of high-value native timber species planted in former log yards in Cameroon.
We planted seedlings of 11 species in 147 log yards in two forest concessions in south-east Cameroon, monitoring 4453 saplings during one to 6 years. We assessed the effects of species, time since planting, soil ripping with bulldozer claws down to 40 cm, and log yard area on sapling survival and growth using linear mixed-effects models.
Survival rates varied among species and time, averaging 83.1% 1–2 years since planting and rising to 94.1% between 1 and 2 years and 3 and 6 years. Seven species maintained annual survival rates above 80% throughout. Survival rates did not vary with soil ripping or log yard area (108–990 m2). Growth rates varied between species and time since planting with the highest increments in diameter observed for Terminalia superba (20.6 mm/year) and Pterocarpus soyauxii (12.2 mm/year). Sapling growth did not increase with the log yard area. Soil ripping affected the growth of a few species, such as T. superba, which grew faster in ripped log yards.
This study supports the planting of native tree species in Central Africa’s former log yards and outlines key implementation challenges.

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