Logging in the Congo Basin: A multi-country characterization of timber companies

Pérez, M. Ruiz; Blas, Driss Ezzine de; Nasi, Robert; Sayer, Jeffrey; Sassen, M. M. A.; Angoué, Claudine; Gami, Norbert; Ndoye, O.; Ngono, G.; Nguinguiri, Jean Claude; Nzala, Donatien; Toirambe, Benjamin; Yalibanda, Yves

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2005.04.020

Cited by 61 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…This industry is run mainly by large private logging companies (Ruiz Pérez et al 2005;Nasi et al 2006a, b). In 2007,701 m 3 timber was extracted, of which 3,675,175 m 3 was exported as logs ).…”

Section: Land Use and Land Cover Change Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential synergies of the main current forestry efforts and climate change mitigation in Central Africa

Sonwa¹,

Walker

Nasi

et al. 2010

Sustain Sci

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In Central Africa, important carbon stocks are stored in natural forest stands, while activities that modify the carbon storage occur in the forest landscape. Besides clean development mechanisms, the reduction of emission through deforestation and degradation (REDD) initiative is viewed as one way to mitigate climate change. Important forest habitat protection activities have already been implemented with the aim of conserving the biodiversity of the region in a sustainable manner. The main causes of land use changes in the region are small holder subsistence practices and logging activities. Agricultural production has low productivity levels and therefore investments in improved agricultural techniques can both reduce pressure on existing forests and perhaps allow for the reforestation of existing degraded lands. The logging industry is dominated by large, industrial scale, logging operations performing selective logging of specific species and large trees. The adoption of improved forest management practices can reduce the impact of such logging on the ecological integrity and carbon stocks. Some efforts to engage in the carbon market have begun in the region. Further research is needed into the types of projects that will most likely become successful in the region and what locations will offer the greatest benefits.

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Section: Land Use and Land Cover Change Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential synergies of the main current forestry efforts and climate change mitigation in Central Africa

Sonwa¹,

Walker

Nasi

et al. 2010

Sustain Sci

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“…They provide an irreplaceable source of ecological, social and economic services for local populations, states and the international community [1,2]. Since the 1950s most of these forests have been granted to private logging companies and have been impacted by selective logging [3,4]. Today, approximately 26% of the forested area in Central Africa is licensed to logging companies contributing significantly to national economies [1,2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential Performance between Two Timber Species in Forest Logging Gaps and in Plantations in Central Africa

Ouédraogo

Ligot

Daïnou

et al. 2015

Forests

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To develop silvicultural guidelines for high-value timber species of Central African moist forests, we assessed the performance of the pioneer Milicia excelsa (iroko, Moraceae), and of the non-pioneer light demander Pericopsis elata (assamela, Fabaceae) in logging gaps and in plantations in highly degraded areas in south-eastern Cameroon. The survival and size of each seedling was regularly monitored in the silvicultural experiments. Differences in performance and allometry were tested between species in logging gaps and in plantations. The two species performance in logging gaps was significantly different from plantations and concurred with the expectations of the performance trade-off hypothesis but not with the expectations of species light requirements. The pioneer M. excelsa survived significantly better in logging gaps while the non-pioneer P. elata grew significantly faster in plantations. The high mortality and slow growth of M. excelsa in plantations is surprising OPEN ACCESSForests 2015, 6 381 for a pioneer species but could be explained by herbivory (attacks from a gall-making psyllid). Identifying high-value native timber species (i) with good performance in plantations such as P. elata is of importance to restore degraded areas; and (ii) with good performance in logging gaps such as M. excelsa is of importance to maintain timber resources and biodiversity in production forests.

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“…The diversity of the responses from different countries reflects the variability of conditions within the region (Ruiz Pérez et al 2005). The high scores in DRC are more an indication of fast changes in its logging industry after the stabilization of the political situation than a reflection of a dynamic and innovative industry.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet field experience shows that there is a great deal of variability in the way logging companies operate (Debroux & Karsenty 1997;Guilguy 1997;Karsenty & Pierre 2005;Ruiz Pérez et al 2005) FSC 2006). The overall objective of this study was to investigate how this variability of logging conditions relates to variability of socioeconomic constraints and environmental problems as perceived by the loggers themselves, and to determine what forces a diverse logging industry to change their practices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic constraints, environmental impacts and drivers of change in the Congo Basin as perceived by logging companies

et al. 2006

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SUMMARYThe external factors that influence the environmental, social and economic performance of logging companies were studied using a questionnaire submitted to 30 logging concessions in five countries of the Congo Basin. This paper analyses socioeconomic constraints and environmental impacts experienced by these concessions, as well as their response to major external drivers of change. Concessionaires considered investment and operating finance their main constraint, followed by insufficient technical and human capacities, and inconsistent application of official regulations. Environmental problems directly produced by concessions' operations represented around one-third of the total score for environmental problems reported. Damage caused by construction of logging roads and erosion were identified as the main issues. Induced problems (two-thirds of the total score) were dominated by hunting, with encroachment and illegal logging perceived as much less significant. Policies, infrastructure, markets and technology are key external drivers of change in concessions' practices, while regional and international forestry institutions reportedly have the least influence, reflecting an emerging scepticism about the proliferation of international institutions and initiatives promoting sustainable forestry.

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Logging in the Congo Basin: A multi-country characterization of timber companies

Cited by 61 publications

References 12 publications

Potential synergies of the main current forestry efforts and climate change mitigation in Central Africa

Potential synergies of the main current forestry efforts and climate change mitigation in Central Africa

Differential Performance between Two Timber Species in Forest Logging Gaps and in Plantations in Central Africa

Socioeconomic constraints, environmental impacts and drivers of change in the Congo Basin as perceived by logging companies

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