--Introduction. Protected areas represent a huge reservoir of biological resources which local residents are highly dependent on. The non-inclusion of local knowledge is often an obstacle to conservation policy and sustainable use of biodiversity in these areas. The Reserve of Pama, located in the South-sudanian zone of Burkina Faso, is a good example of the discrepancy between the subsistence needs of local populations and the need to conserve biodiversity. Assessing the socio-economic importance of this reserve for local residents could lead to adapting a better strategy of natural resource management. Materials and methods. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted based on interviews. The information obtained from the interrogation of 30 resource people identified the different uses made of the reserve by local people and the impact of these uses on the flora, and assessed the perception of villagers on the way of managing their forest resources. Results. A total of 58 plant species in the reserve, over 15% of the local flora, provide various resources to local populations, including construction equipment (90% response), medicinal plants (73.33%), food plants (73.33%), etc. The plant species most in demand were found to be, among others, Vitellaria paradoxa (80%), Parkia biglobosa (66.67%), Diospyros mespiliformis (33.33%), Gardenia erubescens (33.33%), Lannea microcarpa (33.33%), Tamarindus indica (33.33%), Andropogon gayanus (26.67%) and A. chinensis (26.67%). Some of these species have proved increasingly rare due to the deterioration of climatic conditions, abuse of green wood and soil depletion. Conclusion. The study we conducted on the reserve of Pama leads us to advocate stronger measures to protect the environment through the involvement of local residents. Moreover, the field planting of useful species in the process of depletion would be able to limit the operating pressure on the reserve.Burkina Faso / plant communities / biodiversity / plant genetic resources / resource conservation / environmental impact / Sudano-Sahelian region Dégradation des aires protégées par l'exploitation des ressources végétales : cas de la réserve partielle de faune de Pama, Burkina Faso (Afrique de l'Ouest).Résumé --Introduction. Les aires protégées représentent un immense réservoir de ressources biologiques dont dépendent fortement les populations riveraines. La non-prise en compte des savoirs locaux constitue souvent un frein aux politiques de conservation et d'utilisation durable de la biodiversité dans ces aires. La réserve de Pama, située en zone soudanienne au sud-est du Burkina Faso, est un bon exemple de la divergence existant entre les besoins d'autosubsistance des populations riveraines et la nécessité de conserver la biodiversité. L'évaluation de l'importance socio-économique de cette réserve pour les populations riveraines pourrait permettre de mieux adapter la stratégie de gestion des ressources naturelles. Matériel et méthodes. Des enquêtes ethnobotaniques ont été menées en se basant sur des intervi...