managing for high value timber and biodiversity in the congo basin
DESCRIPTION
This session of the 2014 IUFRO World Congress explored how biodiversity positively impacts management of high-value timber species, (e.g., protection from pests and pathogens) and, conversely, how management for high-value species helps conserve biodiversity (e.g., how planted forests can conserve biodiversity).TRANSCRIPT
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 595.381
Community forests ≈ 11.000
Protected 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 impactsImpacts 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
Area
impa
cted
(%)
30
20
10
0 Rsq = 0.9427
Number of trees harvested/ha
GroupeIndépendant
International
Aménagement en cours
Aménagé
Certifié
Non aménagé
2
34 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 (1
0.12
%)
- Actions concrètes +
+
D
iffic
ulté
s re
ncon
trées
-
- Ni les méthodes- Ni les capacités actuellement- Malgré quelques actions
- Vise la certification- Souhaite maintenir ses efforts- > 30 essences exploitéees
Pas encore de résultats
More Biodiversity activities ++
Mor
e pr
oble
ms
expr
esse
d
++
Sust. Mangt Plan under way
No Plan
With Plan Certified
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
Environmentalservices
Local incomes
Taxes, fiscal revenues
Sustain rural populationMixed area : protected area and
conservation enterprise
ProtectedArea
Certifiedlogging
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