A rise in logging is putting pressure on the Gabonese forests and their people
On the face of it, Gabon is a relatively wealthy country. Substantial oil reserves and a population of only 1.4 million have combined to give it one of the highest GDPs in sub-Saharan Africa at $5280 per capita. But you do not need to travel far out of the capital Libreville to realise that the statistics are misleading.
The roads out of the capital, with its gleaming ministries and fancy restaurants, quickly give way to dirt tracks, barely passable in the rainy season. The villages that lie beside them often lack access to the most basic health and education services. There is little evidence here of the wealth that oil has brought to the country.
And as oil supplies begin to dwindle in Gabon and the government seeks to diversify its economy, there is new and
increasing pressure on one of Gabon's other precious resources: its forests.
Logging concessions have doubled in the past 12 years, and several huge mining projects are underway in forested areas, decimating the forest and polluting the countryside. The national parks system now covers 11% of the national territory, however little attention has been given to the impacts on forest communities and, despite reform efforts in 2001, the forest sector remains largely unregulated, leaving it open to abuse and corruption.
If deforestation continues at the current rate, it will not be long before the forests are merely a memory for Gabonese forest people. Something must be done to protect the forests and the thousands of people who live in and depend on them. RFUK, working in partnership with 12 local groups, has made the first crucial steps towards doing just that.
Mekambo is one of the seven forest communities in the Woleu- Ntem and Ogoue Ivindo provinces taking part in an RFUK study to examine how communities use forest resources.
"All we can see is truck after truck taking our forest away, but what is being put back?" - Bakoya chief, Mekambo
RFUK is working with local groups and communities to understand the ways forest people are being affected by the increase in deforestation. Working together, people identify their needs and map the areas from which they get vital resources such as food, water, and basic building materials. Communities also identify what problems have developed in accessing these resources and look into ways that they can overcome these problems. This might include starting negotiations with loggers to gain access to the forests, or with local government to improve access to healthcare. The photo above shows a group of women mapping where the materials for their basic needs come from.
It is an empowering experience for everyone involved. "There is a long way to go, but we have made a good start" said one participant in the study. "hopefully through this process, we can protect our way of life for future generations.'
Find out more about our work in Gabon here
