ATRN - African Tree Ring Network

The Tree Ring Network focuses on Africa because dendrochronology in Africa is the least developed on the globe, however, dendrochronology research in Africa has recently been strongly evolving. The major goal in the first phase of establishing a working group is, therefore, to create a platform for identifying the methods, sampling techniques, and species that give good reliable chronology in space and time, with a particular focus on the integration of long-term data, and simultaneously developing a vibrant network of dendrochronology experts across the continent. 

To achieve this, we will organize online meetings and workshops to take stock of the development in terms of science, methods, data, and human capacity and facility in the continent. We will also analyze the challenges and opportunities. We will provide improved methods, approaches, and best practices to enable cross-regional data analysis and synthesis to support informed decision-making on pressing environmental and climate issues. 

The second goal is to organize a workshop, field training, or school days training, and encourage early career scientists in collaboration with international partners, to disseminate and improve awareness of science-based and data-based development initiatives in Africa. 

Further, the outcome is to come up with programs, and initiatives to fill in critical climatic, ecological, and environmental knowledge and capacity gaps that respond to the identified need in the African context.