XVI International Botanical Congess

Local natural resources are of particular importance for less enabled people like Sahelian pastoralists. Semi-structured interviews with Fulani people from the northern part of Burkina Faso revealed that many woody plants are considered particularly important as well as particularly declining in the local environment. Structured interviews with 100 people from five villages were following conducted to identify appreciated and declining species. People categorized each of 59 species according to their status as increasing/declining and their use value as fruit, food, medicine, construction material, firewood, livestock fodder, shade, and in the fields. Loglinear analysis showed in most cases no significant response differences between gender and age groups, but between villages. Fulani pastoralists provided species level information about use value and degradation status for practically all woody species growing in the area.