Enabel in collaboration with Rwanda Forestry Authority and BioMasster (company experienced in pellet production) conducted a 2-day master training on forest plantations thinning.  
Held on 03-04 November 2022 in Rwamagana district, Eastern Province, the training brought together Forest technicians Technicians from Gakenke, Gicumbi, Rulindo and Rwamagana districts, Forest Specialists from Enabel’s TREPA project, Rwanda Forestry Authority and Private Forest Management Units (PFMU) cooperative leaders to reshape their skills in forest management with focus on thinning practice.  

Forest thinning was understood as a forest management practice that consists of removing some tree stems (poor and defective ones) to leave strong and healthy tree stems to grow well and get optimum yield, practice which is now recommended to be applied in PFMU plantation to better manage and optimise the growth and production of the forests.

The practical part of the training was conducted in a 48ha private owned forests lastly restored by the former Belgian funded project FMBE (Forest management and woody biomass energy support 2017-2021) using Private Forest Management Units approach.  

During the training, 27 participants learnt HOW and WHEN thinning in forest plantation should be well performed. They will in turn train their colleague forest technicians and PFMU cooperative members and apply acquired knowledge towards proper management of forest resources and increased impact on environment protection and on community livelihoods.        

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