Natural vegetation and native plant species contribute significantly to the daily
needs of local people especially in developing countries. This exerts a high pressure on
local species and jeopardizes the conservation of the most vulnerable plants. In Burkina
Faso, conservation measures, such as the creation of protected forests, have been taken to
safeguard the remaining indigenous vegetation. However, little is known about the
effectiveness of these protected areas in conserving biodiversity. This study assessed and
compared the population structures and regeneration potential of three vulnerable woody
species—Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst., Prosopis africana (Guill. & Perr.) Taub. and
Sterculia setigera Del.—in protected and unprotected areas in the Sudanian zone of
Burkina Faso. The population structure and regeneration pattern of each species were
compared between the North and South Sudanian sectors of Burkina Faso. The populations
of all three species were unstable in both protected and unprotected areas. D. mespiliformis
and P. africana displayed relatively good regeneration while P. africana lacked regeneration
in unprotected areas. Regeneration was poor for S. setigera, regardless of protection
status. The results suggest that the populations of the targeted species are unstable,
regardless of the protection status of the area considered. This is probably due to the high
anthropogenic pressure facing natural resources and raises serious concerns about the
effectiveness of the protected areas in conserving biodiversity. Urgent measures are needed
to ensure effective and efficient management and conservation of biodiversity in the
protected areas of Burkina Faso