Togo to Develop First Management Plan for Long-Protected Tchorogo Forest

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Monday, 24 November 2025 18:17

Togo to Develop First Management Plan for Long-Protected Tchorogo Forest

(Togo First) - Togo has begun preparing a management plan for the Tchorogo protected forest in Blitta prefecture. The initiative was launched on Saturday, November 22, 2025, in Blitta-Gare, 260 km north of the capital, Lomé.

The plan will serve as a 10-year framework for the sustainable management of the forest. The 1,515-hectare Tchorogo forest, designated a protected area in January 1947, has never had a formal management plan outlining management method, decisions made, their rationale, or future priorities.

The new plan will aim to balance forest protection with local development. Nearby communities will be involved through income-generating activities intended to strengthen their role in safeguarding the forest.

The initiative is part of the Project to Support the Sustainable Management of State Forests (AGEDUFORD-Togo), itself included in the Support Program for Climate Action, Biodiversity Protection and Agroecology (PALCC+). The program is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources through the Forest Development and Management Office (ODEF).

The development of the Tchorogo management plan aligns with the national strategy to preserve vegetation cover and protect the environment. Other protected forests, such as Missahöhe in Kloto prefecture, already have approved management plans.

Togo is also pursuing several initiatives to preserve ecosystems, including a national effort to plant one billion trees by 2030 to combat deforestation and climate change.

Esaïe Edoh

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