Abstract

 Findings are available on termitaria and their vegetation in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve and other Sudanian regions in West Africa, but research without dissemination and impacts on communities seems not to be useful. This work aims at providing non-governmental organization (NGOs) and forestry advisers with useful data for environmental education projects and taking termitaria and their vegetation into account for ecotourism in Pendjari Reserve. This  article on termitaria and termitaria-related vegetation summarizes data useful for two purposes. Traditional knowledge on termitaria is useful for education; termitaria plants are used as medicine. Mushrooms growing on termitaria and small mammals living in dead and abandoned mounds are consumed in the reserve. There is a need to train kids and students on termitaria and their vegetation conservation. The panoramic view of mounds and their vegetation is really attractive to tourists. Vegetation on termitaria differs between management types of an area and is dominated by woody species belonging mostly to Combretaceae botanical group. Cappareae species seem restricted to termitaria. The three major ethnic groups in the Reserve hold a diversity of ethnological knowledge on termitaria and their vegetation. These can serve for ecotourism development towards termitaria to lower poverty probability of small households in the Reserve.

Key words: Conservation, ecotourism, environmental education, reserve, termitaria.