Project/activity information

To enforce the 1974 Forest Code, management plans on an area of over 1,747,610 ha have been developed in the Congo, especially in the Southern forest zone. However, these forest management plans present serious deficiencies in their design as well as in their implementation, and if they are applied as they have been developed, will lead to an over-exploitation of forests. Management plans designs have principally focused on timber production, little consideration being given to social and environmental aspects of the forests concerned. In addition, specific silvicultural prescriptions have not been made to ensure the sustained regeneration of forest resources. With regards to the implementation of management plans, there is an insufficient number of local staff trained in forest management activities, and therefore, they lack the means to implement forest management activities.

The proposal has the objective to address the above mentioned issues in developing a pilot forest management plan integrating biophysical, economic, social, and environmental considerations of the forests concerned. The management plan could then serve as a model in updating or developing management plans for other forest zones in Congo. It could also provide training support, functioning as a demonstration area for local forest staff in forest management activities.

The project's activities include detailed mapping of the Ngoua II Forest which covers 44,080 ha, forest inventory highlighting the potential of forest regeneration, and assesment of social and environmental conditions of this zone. The end result of the process will be to develop an integrated forest management plan for this forest zone, in such a way as to acieve the self-financing of all related activities.