As part of the OFVI (One Forest Vision) initiative, a training mission dedicated to Pl@ntNet is currently underway in Gabon. This initiative is a scientific and international cooperation program launched at the One Forest Summit in Libreville in 2023. Its objective is to support countries in tropical forest basins in preserving their forests, wetlands, and biodiversity, notably through strengthening local capacities in the knowledge and monitoring of flora.
The mission, carried out by Murielle Simo-Droissart and Daniel Barthélemy from the Pl@ntNet team, started with their arrival in Libreville on January 19. On January 20, they traveled to the IRET/CENAREST research station in Ipassa, near Makokou, to begin the first phase of fieldwork and training activities. Work at Ipassa took place from January 21 to 24.
Several days were devoted to activities at the Ipassa site, in close collaboration with two botanists from the station, Guy Moussavou and Faustin Moiniyoko, who themselves had been trained in the use of Pl@ntNet during an initial session organized in Libreville last May. These days enabled a significant transfer of knowledge, particularly regarding the recognition of plant families based on morphological characteristics, as well as the acquisition of new botanical data thanks to the expertise of these local teams.
Based on the list of tree species recorded in the permanent plot monitoring systems, specific work was carried out to identify species that were not yet illustrated on Pl@ntNet or were only documented through herbarium scans. For about ten of these species, at least one individual was located and photographed in situ. This step represents a real challenge for automated identification tools such as Pl@ntNet. By contributing to the enrichment of the platform’s database with high-quality field images, especially for species that are still poorly documented or undocumented, these missions significantly improve Pl@ntNet’s ability to meet identification needs in tropical biodiversity hotspots such as Gabon.
The mission also benefited from the presence of an experienced botanist, Raoul Niangadouma from the National Herbarium of Gabon, who was in Ipassa as part of another project. A half-day of fieldwork was devoted to accompanying this specialist within a permanent plot measuring 500 meters on each side, where he identifies all woody species with a diameter of 1 cm or more. Several species were photographed, and the corresponding observations are being or will soon be shared on the Pl@ntNet platform.
Following this first phase in Ipassa, the mission continues in Franceville, where Murielle Simo-Droissart and Daniel Barthélemy will provide daily training sessions on the Pl@ntNet tool for students and faculty of the University of Science and Technology of Masuku (USTM).
In addition to these university trainings, a presentation is planned at the French Institute of Gabon, as well as a session dedicated to middle and high school students from Lycée Blaise Pascal. This outreach to the school community illustrates the OFVI initiative’s commitment to raising awareness among a broader and more diverse audience about the importance of knowledge, valorization, and preservation of biodiversity.
As a citizen science platform, Pl@ntNet relies on user observations to continuously improve its performance. It is therefore essential that the tool be widely adopted in regions of high biodiversity. Stronger ownership by local stakeholders will not only enrich the available data but also make Pl@ntNet increasingly effective and relevant, serving the goals of biodiversity knowledge and conservation at both local and international levels.
The flyer for the presentation held in the French Institute in Gabon by the Pl@ntNet team
