Do protected areas really work to conserve species? A case study of three vulnerable woody species in the Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso

Natural vegetation and native plant species contribute significantly to the daily needs of local people especially in developing countries. This exerts a high pressure on local species and jeopardizes the conservation of the most vulnerable plants. In Burkina Faso, conservation measures, such as the creation of protected forests, have been taken to safeguard the remaining indigenous vegetation. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these protected areas in conserving biodiversity. This study assessed and compared the population structures and regeneration potential of three vulnerable woody species-Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst., Prosopis africana (Guill. & Perr.) Taub. and Sterculia setigera Del.-in protected and unprotected areas in the Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso. The population structure and regeneration pattern of each species were compared between the North and South Sudanian sectors of Burkina Faso. The populations of all three species were unstable in both protected and unprotected areas. D. mespiliformis and P. africana displayed relatively good regeneration while P. africana lacked regeneration in unprotected areas. Regeneration was poor for S. setigera, regardless of protection status. The results suggest that the populations of the targeted species are unstable, regardless of the protection status of the area considered. This is probably due to the high anthropogenic pressure facing natural resources and raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the protected areas in conserving biodiversity. Urgent measures are needed to ensure effective and efficient management and conservation of biodiversity in the protected areas of Burkina Faso. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.