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Multiple-use forest management is considered by many as a preferable alternative to single-use, generally timber-dominant, management models to ensure a greater biodiversity. In this presentation we will briefly explore the major land-uses in the Congo Basin and their actual or potential for sustaining biodiversity in a production context. We then focus on the most extant production systems (shifting cultivation, industrial logging concessions and main commodity crops) to analyze the existing issues and options for managing actively both valuable timber species and biodiversity with a special emphasis timber stands, wildlife and the potential role of certification. We highlight a few promising but yet ‘unfinished’ examples in the region and we review these cases to draw lessons and recommendations. We contend however that true multiple-use could only be realized by expanding beyond boundaries of formal management units through new innovative land-use units, allowing a spatial cohabitation of the interests of local people, of conservation proponents and of extractive industries in the same management unit.
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Managing for high value timber and biodiversity in the Congo
Basin
R. NASI, A. BILLAND, N. VAN VLIET
Technical Session: How does biodiversity help to manage high-value timber species, and vice-versa?
October 9th, Salt Lake City, XXIV IUFRO World Congress
Selective logging in the Congo Basin
Timber remains the sole managed commodity
Highly selective, few individuals (less than 2) of few high value commercial species (less than 5) represent more than 75% of the volume harvested (less than 10m3/ha)
Rotation cycles of about 25-30 years; Minimum cutting diameter rules; No post-harvest silviculture
The area under management and certification is increasing
Some (rare) examples of wildlife management in/near logging concessions
Land use km2“Ordinary lands” 448,801
Logging concessions 595.381Community forests ≈ 11.000Protected areas 444,973
Source: Nasi et al, 2011
Biodiversity in the Congo Basin Plant diversity (trees, NTFPs)
• Directly impacted by logging activities and damage to residual stand
• Indirectly impacted by defaunation Animal diversity (“wildlife”)
• Directly impacted by logging activities
• Indirectly threatened by hunting
Main issues for compatibility
Many tropical tree species have both timber and non-timber values that accrue to different stakeholders; wildlife is yet another story
Current certification schemes diverge for timber and NTFPs; doesn’t fully address wildlife
Forestry education and training biased towards timber Legal and regulatory frameworks dictated separately for
timber, wildlife and NTFPs Best harvesting practices/management protocols for NTFPs
or wildlife have little validation
Typology of logging impacts
Impacts Directs Derived
Unavoidable Damage to residual stand Disturbances (noise, light) Fragmentation Changes in C stocks
Increased human presence (both temporary and permanent)
Increased access to remote forests
Avoidable Soil erosion Water course pollution Reduced regeneration …
Increased deforestation Increased fire risks Favor invasive species Increased hunting
Impact of certification on harvest intensity
Cerutti et al. 2011
Certified concessions have a significantly reduced harvesting intensity
Harvesting intensity and residual stands
Nasi & Forni, 2006
543210
Are
a im
pact
ed (
%)
30
20
10
0 Rsq = 0.9427
Number of trees harvested/ha
Graphique symétrique(axes F1 et F2 : 54.36 %)
GroupeIndépendant
International
Aménagement en cours
Aménagé
Certifié
Non aménagé
2
3
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
20
21
22
23
26
1
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
F2
(10.
12 %
)
Variables supp. Observations
- Actions concrètes +
+
D
iffic
ulté
s re
nco
ntr
ée
s
-
- Ni les méthodes- Ni les capacités actuellement- Malgré quelques actions
- Vise la certification- Souhaite maintenir ses efforts- > 30 essences exploitéees
Pas encore de résultats
No methodsNo capacitiesLimited activities
Basic intentions, Limited results
Activities limited to legal requirementLimited results
Motivated CEO and some staffLong term effortsEffective field activities
Billand et al. 2009
Pro-biodiversity activities in logging concessions
Only certified concessions show significant activities in favor of biodiversity
A landscape approach: why?
High mobility of wildlife (migration, dispersal, extensive territories…) an importatn biodiversity component
Conserving Protected areas alone, will not be enough to conserve large sized/highly mobile species with huge ranges (e.g. Elephants) or locally rare plant species
The contribution of production forests to biodiversity conservation is increasingly recognized (e.g. North Congo where gorilla densities are higher in logging concessions than in the neighbouring NP)
Protected areas and logging concessions : surprisingly close neighbors
OFAC, State of Forest 2008
National Parks
Logging Concessions
Hunting areas
Parks, Concessions, Hunting areas : where are flagship species ?Some surprising assessments
Number of ape nests/km2
OFAC, State of Forest 2008
New land-use type
Combine several land uses (e.g. logging concession, protected area, CBFM…) in one land-use management unit that would become an
Integrated Production-Conservation Landscape
Environmental services
Local incomes
Taxes, fiscal revenues
Sustain rural populationMixed area : protected area and
conservation enterprise
ProtectedArea
Certified logging
concession
Communityforest
Municipalforest
Agro-industry
Hunting,Gathering,Informalsectors
Urban, social space
Billand & Nasi 2006
Realize the economic potential of the conservation side
Manage informal sectors like hunting, fishing or NTFP extraction for local livelihoods so that part of these can be formalized (soft or hard)
Use part of the income generated by the industrial production side for the conservation area for reciprocal benefits
Foster certification (not limited to timber considerations)
Basic rules
Enabling conditions
Starting funds are needed to cover initial transaction costs
The willingness of the production sector to engage into certification or other biodiversity friendly practices
The willingness of the conservation community to collaborate, share experiences and support the private sector in integrating conservation concerns in management practices
A proactive political support (creating specific land-use units with specific instances for decision making) or, at least, neutral (no undue interference from the State).
Management principles at the landscape scale
Maintain landscape heterogeneity Maintain large structurally complex patches of natural
vegetation Create buffers around sensitive areas Maintain or create corridors and stepping stones Use appropriate disturbance regimes in management Maintain functional diversity Manage for keystone species Consider endemic, rare and threatened species