Biodiversity Planning Support Programme Integration of Biodiversity into National Forest Planning Programmes: The Case of Gabon
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Author
Nasi, R.Date
2001-08
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Show full item recordAbstract
With a very high forest cover (over 80%) and low population density (below 5 inhbts/km2), Gabon is still a forest biodiversity rich country. Gabon's forests are amongst the richest in Africa in terms of botanical diversity and endemism for example, 22% of plants described in the Flora of Gabon are endemic and the forests of Gabon have more plant species (estimated at 8000 species) than all of the forests of West Africa combined. The fauna is also rich, estimated at more than 190 mammal species, including at least 20 species of monkeys, more than 600 species of birds, 70 species of reptiles and 100 species of amphibians. About 35,000 gorillas and 64,000 chimpanzees dwell in Gabon forests and elephants number between 60,000 and 74,000 individuals. The network of protected area seems adequate in size (about 10% of the territory) but some important ecosystems are still inadequately protected and most of the protected areas are understaffed and under funded. Forest biodiversity loss is probably not critical so far but hunting for bushmeat, often but not always linked to opening of forest areas by logging companies is a serious problem. Gabon is Party to several Conventions (Biological Diversity, CITES, RAMSAR, London, etc.) and a member of the International Tropical Timber Organisation and of the African Timber Organisation. The civil society is emerging but remains fairly weak and is essentially represented by small NGOs developed in urban areas. It has only a small influence on national level decisions about forest and biodiversity. Forest and environment sectors have governed by two major laws that are still lacking a proper set of implementation texts though they were passed in 1982 for the Forestry law and in 1993 for the Environment law. These texts have been developed without integrating requirements from the CBD and without real cross-sectoral integration. The forestry law is currently revised but the new text (likely to pass in 2001) although better than the previous one because the implementation decrees are already written does not really integrate CBD concerns. Gabon has initiated several national planning processes. The NFAP was initiated with the support and under the push of the donor community (especially France) while the NEAP and NASP-BD were essentially a result of the signing of the CBD and were funded by GEF. These various planning exercises have been conducted in parallel without real integration and communication. It seems however that the situation is now improving as in December 1999, a Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (CPSE) was created within the Ministry, under the co-ordination of the General Secretary, in order to: (i) ensure the follow-up and the implementation of the main conclusions and recommendations of NEAP and NFAP, (ii) create a coherent institutional framework within the Ministry, (iii) assure appropriate information transfer to institutional and non institutional stakeholders of the sector, (iv) prepare the financial mechanisms to support the sector. A Letter of General Policy is also prepared by the Ministry of Forestry and Environment to summarize the results of the national exercises of environmental planning (NFAP, NEAP, NSAPBD) and the orientation of the new Forestry Code in terms of policies, operational priorities and axes of implementation for the development of the forestry and environment sectors. This seems a serious effort to have a better integration of environmental and forestry issues. Nevertheless, this is happening as all planning exercises are completed and validated. Some progresses have been made thanks to a reorganisation of the agencies involved in environmental and forestry planning exercises but it remains to be seen if implementation and integration of the new legislations become a reality.Publisher or University
UNEP