Abstract
The northern coast of Senegal is the site of a conservation program with the objective of stabilizing shifting sand dunes in order to protect adjacent agricultural fields against the detrimental effects of wind. Casuarina equisetifolia ("filao"), a nitrogen-fixing tree species indigenous to Oceania and southeast Asia, is the favored species for these dune stabilization efforts. Over the past 40 years, the total area reforested with C. equisetifolia amounts to more than 9700 ha. Due to its rapid growth, particularly in the inter-dune depressions, it is seen as a potential source of wood for the region. Additionally, reforestation efforts have also been directed towards the semi-fixed dunes (2380 ha) and the fixed dunes (4350 ha) lying further inland. Thus, despite the severity of the climatic conditions of recent years, Senegal's dune fixation program is clearly a success in respect to its initial objectives and represents an important step forward in the fight against desertification.
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