Utilization and traditional strategies of in situ conservation of iroko (Milicia excelsa Welw. C.C. Berg) in Benin C. Ouinsavi a, * , N. Sokpon a , O. Bada b a Laboratoire d’Etudes et de Recherches Forestie `res, Faculte ´ d’Agronomie, Universite ´ de Parakou, BP 123 Parakou, Benin b Department of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Received 8 March 2004; received in revised form 3 September 2004; accepted 16 October 2004 Abstract Socio-cultural surveys were carried out on the basis of a questionnaire administered on 346 respondents in order to investigate cultural and ethnobotanic uses of Milicia excelsa in Benin. M. excelsa contributes to cure 45 human diseases. The different parts of the tree used are leaves (30.3%), bark (25.8%), root (23.6%), latex (10.1%), flaking bark (6.7%), wood, calcium concentrated in old trees, and gum (1.1% each). Fruits or seeds are rarely used. Six different forms of utilization were recorded: soaking (46.3%), bark or leaves decoction (32.8%), herb tea (11.9%), powder (6.0%), leaves or bark grounded and rolled up into ball (1.5%), component of offering to fetish (1.5%). Iroko wood is also used in carpentry and joinery for construction purposes; furniture as well as for building boats/canoes. Iroko tree is used as the conservatory of cultural values and incarnates many divinities, which differ significantly from one province to another (x 2 = 1830.27; d.f. = 25; P < 0.01%). There is a significant difference between the provinces in respect of the recognition of the species (x 2 = 268.71; d.f. = 17; P  0.01%) and the population awareness about iroko as a sacred tree also varied from one province to another (x 2 = 308.66; d.f. = 27; P  0.01%). Veneration of the tree is the main approach of its conservation by local people. M. excelsa is conserved on farm, in sacred groves, in public places and in cemeteries. The different sacred objects used to symbolize the divinities incarnated by iroko are: pottery (36.36%), iron (11.11%), calabash (4.04%), candle (2.02%), piece of cloth (18.18%), sacrifice (13.13%), piece of money (3.0%), stone (2.05%), glassware (broken bottle, 2.02%), and convent (8.08%). There is a highly significant difference between provinces as far as the sacred objects are concerned (x 2 = 183.037; d.f. = 19 and P < 0.001%). The conservation purposes also vary significantly from one region to other (x 2 = 894.47; d.f. = 31; P < 0.01%). Re ´sume ´ Des enque ˆtes sur les strate ´gies locales de conservation in situ de Milicia excelsa ont e ´te ´ re ´alise ´es sur la base de questionnaire administre ´a ` 346 personnes au Be ´nin. Il ressort que l’iroko contribue au traitement de 45 maladies chez les humains. Diffe ´rents organes de la plante sont utilise ´s a ` savoir: les feuilles (30,3%), l’e ´corce (25,8%), les racines (23,6%), le latex (10,1%), les e ´cailles (6,7%), le bois, le calcium www.elsevier.com/locate/foreco Forest Ecology and Management 207 (2005) 341–350 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +229 61 20 10; fax: +229 61 20 10. E-mail addresses: ouinsch@yahoo.fr (C. Ouinsavi), nsokpon@yahoo.fr (N. Sokpon). 0378-1127/$ – see front matter # 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2004.10.069