From 8 to 17 October 2024, students from the ERAIFT's Forest Management Technique specialization and those from Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech were hosted by the CIB Olam forestry company in Pokola, Republic of Congo, as part of a joint training course on tropical forestry. This practical field training was led and supervised by Professor Jean-Louis Doucet from the University of Liège/Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, assisted by five supervisors.

During their trip, the twenty-two students benefited from the experience of several experts from various forestry sectors, including forest management, low-impact logging, social management, wildlife management within the forestry company, phenological monitoring and wood processing. Several visits were also organised, including the botanical trail, the timber production site, the timber processing units (sawing and finger-jointing) and the cogeneration unit producing electricity from timber processing waste.

As a continuation of the practical training begun in the Kisantu Botanical Garden, this course provided an excellent opportunity for African and European learners to exchange experiences, illustrating North-South cooperation in the training of forest ecosystem managers. It also provided an opportunity for exchanges of experience with the private sector involved in sustainable forest management.  It should be noted that ERAIFT students are continuing their in-company immersion in the timber management and production sector.

ERAIFT thanks CIB Olam for its warm welcome and logistical support. It thanks the faculty of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech for its collaboration. ERAIFT also expresses its gratitude to Professor Jean-Louis Doucet for his support for the training course and for his efforts to ensure its success in the field. ERAIFT would also like to thank the European Union and AGRINATURA for their support.