Date
31 May 2022
Scientists draw attention to the importance of the forests in mitigating climate change and preserving biological diversity.
The forests of Central Africa grow on more than 200 million hectares, 89 million of which support primary forests. The forests are major features of a number of countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of Congo. The forests embrace the Cuvette Central peatlands, which are a unique store of carbon, and the Congo Basin, the planet’s second-largest area of rainforest. The forests are home to thousands of endemic species of flora and fauna.
But, of course, this picture isn’t perfect: agricultural plantations, logging, mining and charcoal production are driving deforestation. One study concluded that more than 6 million hectares of the region’s humid primary forests had been cut since 2001.
Scientists meeting at the XV World Forestry Congress in Seoul, Republic of Korea shared their knowledge of the threats to the forests, which have become increasingly important because of their function as one of the world’s greatest storehouses of carbon and other greenhouse gases and one of the last homes for a huge diversity of flora and fauna.
‘There are three major challenges in the management of forests in the region,’ said Richard Eba’a Atyi, regional convener for Central Africa for the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and lead editor of Congo Basin Forests: The 2021 State of the Forests. ‘The first is the issue of land-use planning. The second is the restoration of forest landscapes and ecosystems as part of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The third is ensuring the rights of local populations and indigenous people in all forest management policies and conservation plans.’
His comments supported the recommendations of Congo Basin Forests: The 2021 State of the Forests, which was published by the L'Observatoire des Forêts d'Afrique Centrale. The report assesses the natural and socio-economic health of Central Africa’s tropical forests.
The report is a companion to the State of the World’s Forests 2022 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which was launched at the Congress. Both reports were discussed in a session at the Congress.
World Agroforestry (ICRAF) is a centre of scientific and development excellence that harnesses the benefits of trees for people and the environment. Knowledge produced by ICRAF enables governments, development agencies and farmers to utilize the power of trees to make farming and livelihoods more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable at multiple scales. ICRAF is one of the 15 members of the CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. We thank all donors who support research in development through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.