'// The Congo Basin Recent Developments and Alternatives for Sustainable Development Journal on Tropical Forests and Forestry for Sustainable Development TTER Volume 16 (3), Number 37, November 1997 The BOS Foundation On December 16th 1981, a group of Dutch tropical foresters founded the Stichting BOS, the Dutch abbreviation for Foundation for Forestry Development Cooperation. Concern for the problems of tropical forests' - and land use led them to formulate the need for a professional response and a commitment to mobilize action and increase international forestry cooperation. Since 1995 the BOS Foundation is known as Organization for International Forestry Cooperation. Key concepts to indicate the Foundation's main endeavours are ecosystem management, sustamability, multifunctionality, social equity and partnership. Objectives of BOS The main objectives of the BOS Foundation are: • to increase attention for and action on behalf of forests, forestry and land use in the tropics within the context of sustainable development; • to improve the quality and enlarge the scale of international forestry cooperation, stimulated from The Netherlands; • to promote and facilitate the exchange of information between tropical foresters, other experts and organizations involved. The BOS Foundation supports field workers and other specialists in the field by combining their forces and promoting their interests. The BOS NiEuWSLETTER The BOS NiEuWSLETTER is the four-monthly journal of the BOS Foundation on tropical forests, forestry and land use within the context of sustainable development and international cooperation. Each issue contains articles, book reviews, announcements of meetings, symposia and courses, all related to tropical forests, forestry and land use. In 1994 Michael Pilarski wrote in his book "Restoration Forestry, an international guide to sustainable forestry practices" about the BOS NiEuWSLETTER: this newsletter is one of the best ways to keep abreast of tropical forestry developments. You are invited to send information on subjects related to tropical forests, forestry and land use. Announcements of meetings, symposia and courses, as well as book reviews, articles and comments/opinions are most welcome. For guidelines for articles and comments/opinions see back cover. Reproduction (partial) or translation is permitted, provided the author(s), publisher and source are acknowledged. The editor would appreciate receipt of a copy. ISSN: 0923-7488 Editor and colour design: Peter Sips Cover design: Roelof A.A. Oldeman Contents Editorial 4. Peter Sips The Congo Basin Recent Developments and Alternatives for Sustainable Development General information, biological and cultural characteristics Congo Basin Regional Profile 5. Arie Verdoes Forest Peoples of the Congo Basin 13. Marcus Colchester & Dorothy Jackson The Flora of the Congo Basin 21. R.H.M.J. Lemmens & M.S.M. Sosef Forest Peoples in the Central African Rain Forest: Focus on the Pygmies 26. S.A. Dembner (Non-)Human Primates in the Congo Basin 35. Ignaas Spruit & Simon K. Bearder Recent developments and threats Short Overview of the Situation of Tropical Moist Forests and Forest Management in Central Africa and Markets for African Timber 42. Dominiek Plouvier BOS NiEuWSLETTER / Vol. 16(3) / No. 37 / November 1997 / 1 About Tropical Hardwood, Chocolate and Gorilla's Conservation of forest fauna in south Cameroon 50. Martha Klein & Mark van der Wal Urban Threats to Biodiversity in the Congo Basin Theodore Trefon La Nuit continue a porter son Ombre Immense sur ce Vaste Continent Cameroon's war against subsistence. A socio-economic and ecological analysis against the background of the Chad-Cameroon oil-pipeline Korinna Horta Alternatives for sustainable development Forestry in Equatorial Guinea 76. Michiel van Bruegel & Marc Parren A Critical Analysis of Different Approaches to Rainforest Conservation in Central Africa based on the Dzanga-Sangha Experience 84. Allard Blom Netherlands Support to Forest Management in the Eastern Congo Basin 90. Alfred C. Smiet Promotion of Sustainable Forest Management and Certification in Timber Producing Countries of West and Central Africa 99. Dominiek Plouvier & Jean-Luc Roux 2 / BOS NiEuWSLETTER / Vol. 16(3) / No. 37 / November 1997 BOS News: Cameroon Conservation Projects 109. Bata, Equatorial Guinea - Congo Basin Conference 109. Short News: Meetings 110. Courses 111. Publications 112. New Forest Project - World Seed Program 115. 116 Advertisements 118. Advertising in the BOS NiEuWSLETTER and BOS Consultancies 119. Changing Personal Circumstances? 120. Netherlands Committee for Publication of this issue of the BOS NiEuWSLETTER and in particular the color pictures was also made possible thanks to a grant from the: IUCN The World Conservation Union BOS NiEuWSLETTER / Vol. 16(3) / No. 37 / November 1997 / 3 Editorial Peter Sips on the tribal richness of the region, its flora and fauna and the way man and nature interact. In the second part focus is Comfortably installed in my hammock I'll be reading on the threats imposed by the international timber trade, O' Hanlon's Congo Journey. While in pursuit of a pygmy- poaching, urban use of forest resources, and the tales inspired prehistoric legend reality reveals itself in construction of an oil-pipeline. Part three offers some seemingly obvious but yet un-experienced encounters. Even relevant initiatives aiming to promote the wise and more overwhelming and confronting is the visualized reality sustainable development of the region. on the 8 o'clock news or in the numerous background documentaries in the last couple of months. In May 1998 the governments of the region and the international donors will be meeting in Bata, Equatorial The Congo Basin has been, and still is the setting for many Guinea. NGOs will hopefully join in a parallel meeting to reports on political and military upheaval, tribal conflicts, be organized by the IUCN. It is hoped that all parties mass murders, international politics and trade, and involved will be in the position to discuss the problems of exploitation of natural resources. Trying to understand the the region as well as alternatives for development. Likewise reason for all these events, I stumble over colonial periods, it is hoped that all involved will be open about their interest fetishism, ancient cultural and tribal rivalry, present days and available means and are willing to see things in political and financial interests, and hypocrisy. perspective. Hopefully the words of a Nigerian museum director, who just recently expressed his feelings about the The Congo Basin's cultural and biological diversity is robbery of African art mainly destined for Europe, United under threat. In this theme issue it is tried to give a first States and Japan, may be of relevance: insight in the biological and cultural characteristics of the region, threats involved, and alternatives offered for a more "taking away the art from its African context, makes the art sustainable development. In the first part the authors focus worthless." 4 / BOS NiEuWSLETTER / Vol. 16(3) / No. 37 / November 1997 Congo Basin regional profile Arie Verdoes1 population pressure is not very high. The rate of forest destruction is not as high as in Brazil but still alarming. At Introduction present there is very little control over forestry exploitation especially where economic revenues from this industry are The Congo Basin comprises the main parts of very important to obtain (imported) food security. Added to Congo-Kinshasa (former Zaire), Congo-Brazzaville, the regional political instability this is a difficult base for Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Gabon and the Central the stimulation of both sustainable forest exploitation and an African Republic (CAR). Depending on the definition increase in export of forestry commodities. regions of Angola, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda also are part of the basin. Below, in short country profiles, an Fortunately foreign support is directed at providing a base overview of the general developments in the last 40 years for sustainable use of the forest. Protecting vulnerable areas of the political, economical and environmental situation is in reserves, introduction of improved forest management given. techniques, training of cadres, revision of laws and inventories to upgrade statistical data are all necessary areas The Congo Basin in to Africa what the Amazonia is to of attention in support programs. When also the political South America. The basin is bordered by mountain ranges situation stabilises the very high potential of the Congo in east Congo-Kinshasa, plateaus in south Congo-Kinshasa Basin can both have a long-term protection and can give and south Cameroon and central CAR. The rivers in the increasing revenues. basin are formed by: Table 1: Roundwood removals • the vast Congo river and its tributaries, like the Oubangui (CAR), Sangha (Cong-Brazzaville), Kwilu, Kasai and Tsuapa River; Fuelwood Industrial Export • the Ogooué River (in Gabon) and its tributaries; • the Sanaga river (Cameroon); Cameroon 11,488 2,933 1,000 • the Rio Benito (Equatorial Guinea); Gabon 2,711 1,633 1,715 • and several other rivers that float directly to the Atlantic Ocean. Congo- 40,093 3,150 164 Kinshasa The vegetation of the basin is mainly dense tropical rainforest (over 1.5 million km2), varying from swamp Congo- 2,154 1,331 319 forests to montane forests, but areas with savanna can also Brazzaville be found. Especially coastal areas are heavily exploited. The more inward areas because