To fulfil its mission, the IRET has, for several years, been involved in numerous initiatives with African and international partners working in the field of forest research.
To date, the IRET consists of four departments, two laboratories and two research stations. The departments are namely (I) Plant Ecology, (ii) Animal Ecology, (iii) Terrestrial ecosystems and (iv) Aquatic ecosystems. As regards the research stations, there is the Ipassa research station, located about ten kilometres from the town of Makokou, in the Ivindo National Park (Ogooué-Ivindo), and the Doussala research station in the Mukalaba-Doudou National Park (Nyanga).
The IRET’s activities are part of the research programmes defined within the departments, which consider the national, subregional and international agenda.
This includes:
- Programme 1: Ecology and biology of mammalian wildlife;
- Programme 2: Plant diversity and sustainable management of rainforests;
- Programme 3: General and vector entomology;
- Programme 4: Viral and parasitic zoonoses;
- Programme 5: Forest governance and assessment of ecosystem goods and services to reduce poverty;
- Programme 6: Functioning, dynamics, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (oceans and freshwater).
Through its research programmes, the IRET contributes to the success of the DYNAFAC initiative.