Country details

Key points

• The Republic of Congo has a large resource of closed tropical forests, particularly in the north, and a relatively low level of conversion to other uses, although there is significant encroachment in the southern forests.
• The PFE is an estimated 21.3 million hectares, comprising 18.4 million hectares of production forest, 2.86 million hectares of protection forest and 72,000 hectares of industrial timber plantations.
• At least 1.30 million hectares of the natural-forest production PFE, comprising the concession areas of CIB in northern Congo, are thought to be under SFM. Some 380,000 hectares of protection PFE are deemed to be so managed.
• The over-hunting of wild meat within concessions, and social relations between indigenous forest dwellers and migrants, are possibly the biggest constraints to SFM in northern Congo.
• Forestry administration is the responsibility of the Ministry of Forest Economy and the Environment (MEFE). Institutional capacity remains relatively weak.
• In the south, more than 1 million hectares of forest have been allocated for harvesting in lots of about 50,000 hectares to operators largely unskilled in forest management.
• In the north, concession-holders are expected to collaborate with MEFE in the development of forest management plans; inventories have been carried out on at least 6.4 million hectares.