Organised by the Transbio Graduate School at Marie and Louis Pasteur University, in partnership with CENAREST, this summer school offered a unique interdisciplinary immersion at the crossroads of ecology, social sciences and local knowledge.

‘This initiative is very beneficial for CENAREST and its partners, but above all for the Gabonese government in terms of taking local knowledge into account in decision-making. I would like to see this type of initiative linked up with various partners and, in practical terms, research at the heart of local communities' concerns,’ emphasises Christian Mikolo Yobo, scientific and technical advisor at CENAREST.

A cross-disciplinary programme combining science, fieldwork and traditions

Coordinated by Professor François Bretagnolle (UMR Biogéosciences, CNRS-University of Burgundy-Europe), the summer school combined theoretical teaching with fieldwork in several villages, thanks to a Franco-Gabonese, Cameroonian and Congolese teaching team bringing together ecologists, sociologists, anthropologists, ethnologists and linguists. The courses covered four main areas:

• Anthropology, sociology and ethnology: analysing the social dynamics linked to the use of forest resources
• Functional ecology and health: understanding interactions between humans and tropical ecosystems
• Linguistics: exploring the transmission of ecological knowledge through local languages
• Participatory survey methodology: preparing questionnaires, ethical data collection, informed consent

Three major scientific research topics

For two weeks, the students conducted participatory research in the villages of Loua-Loua, Etaka-Nyabé, Ebessi & Tsibelong and Messeb, exploring social dynamics, relationships between humans and tropical ecosystems, and the transmission of ecological knowledge through local languages. Three major scientific topics guided the interviews:

1. Tree-fruit eater interactions

The aim was to use local knowledge to identify the animal species that consume the fruit of specific trees (hornbills, turacos, mandrills, bats, antelopes, etc.), thereby contributing to forest regeneration.

2. Animal self-medication

An original approach aimed at understanding how certain animals (gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants) use their environment to treat themselves.
‘We asked ourselves what diseases these animals suffer from, how they treat themselves, and whether others assist them. We discovered some very interesting local knowledge about these behaviours,’ explains Professor François Bretagnolle.

3. Traditional pharmacopoeia

The students interviewed local residents about their use of medicinal plants, particularly for treating skin and digestive disorders, and sought to understand the diversity of healthcare practices based on forest resources..

‘What particularly struck me was meeting the villagers. They are a wealth of local knowledge — they are essential links in better understanding the ecological dynamics of the forest,’ explains Charles LEBON, a student at Omar Bongo University specialising in functional ecology.

Feedback to communities

The survey results were shared directly with village chiefs and residents in a spirit of transparency and knowledge sharing. According to Professor François Bretagnolle, coordinator of the school, this initiative aims to bring ecological and social sciences closer to the realities on the ground: "The goal was to instil in students a desire to ask local people about their knowledge. "

Observations of wildlife revealed practices of animal self-medication. Gorillas, chimpanzees and elephants use various plants – Moabi leaves, Nkumu, Odika, sugar cane, cassava and even clay – to relieve digestive pain, parasites, fevers and injuries. These behaviours inspire certain communities in the composition of their own traditional remedies.

An official presentation was also held in Libreville on 31 July, attended by scientific and institutional partners.

One Forest Vision: promoting research and field workers

Committed to promoting science in Central Africa, the One Forest Vision initiative provided logistical, communication and media support for this mission.

The team produced:

• Five intertwined portraits of students, filmed in the forest and during field surveys.
• A six-minute documentary video promoting the Ipassa station and the importance of field schools.
• Multi-media press coverage, relayed on LinkedIn, WhatsApp, YouTube and by media partners.

Summer school in Ipassa: a model to be continued

This first edition perfectly illustrates One Forest Vision's mission: to foster dialogue between science, territories and societies in order to better understand and preserve the forests of Central Africa.

It provides a solid foundation for future editions, with the ambition of further strengthening the links between endogenous knowledge, academic research and international cooperation.

Press review (in french)

One Forest Vision : 40 jeunes formés aux enjeux sociaux et écologiques (Gabon Média Time, 31 juillet 2025)

Gabon/École d’été Transbio à Ipassa : les savoirs animaux inspirent les pharmacopées locales (Agence Gabonaise de Presse, 31 juillet 2025)

École d’été à Ipassa : science, savoirs locaux et forêt tropicale en synergie (Gabon Review, 31 juillet 2025)

École d'été : des étudiants français et du Bassin du Congo en immersion à Ipassa (L’UNION, 5 août 2025)

Publication à venir :

Reportage /Vlog : publication programmée le vendredi 5 septembre sur les ondes RFI : radio et leur site internet (RFI, 05 septembre 2025)