Thinking beyond the canopy
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Central Africa is home to the second largest continuous block of rainforest on the planet after the Amazon Basin. The area hosts a wealth of biodiversity and provides vital regional and global ecological services. Although attention to forest issues in the region has increased since the Rio Summit in 1992, there is still much to be done to address the new threats facing these important forests and the challenge of managing them sustainably.

As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, CIFOR organized with its partners a two-day policy and science conference entitled "Sustainable forest management in Central Africa: Yesterday, today and tomorrow." Bringing together the region's leading policy makers, donors, media, researchers and forest experts, the conference provided a forum for open discussion of the most critical issues and challenges facing the sustainable management of Central Africa's forests, the biodiversity they embrace and the people who depend on them.

The conference was hosted by the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife of Cameroon, who opened and closed the event. Over 520 guests attended the first day and more than 350 on the second day, and nearly 25 high-level speakers presented topics. Check back soon to see interviews, slide presentations, photos, videos and more.

The following declaration was released at the closing ceremony.   61KB

 

Presentations

  • Management of Congo Basin forest resources: The quest for sustainability
    Robert Nasi
  • Gestion Durable des Forets en Afrique Centrale
  • Realities of climate change in the Congo Basin
  • Climate Change Scenarios for the Congo Basin
  • Good Financial Governance and Climate Finance in Cameroon
  • Putting forest communities at the center of responses to climate change: learning from past experience in forest management
  • Mettre les communautés forestières au centre des réponses au changement climatique: leçons de l'expérience en gestion forestière

Photo gallery

Video gallery

  • Searching for nutritional security in the forests of Central Africa
    Bronwen Powell
  • Maintaining tree genetic diversity
    Laura Snook
  • The future of Central Africa's forests
    Richard Eba'a Atyi
  • Financing climate change and REDD+: How to help Central Africa capture the potential
  • Senior Scientist, CIRAD
    Sylvie Gourlet Fleury
  • Programme Leader, Forest Genetic Resources Bioversity International
    Laura Snook
  • Discussion Forum 4
  • Q+A with Minister of Agriculture: Future directions for agriculture and forestry in Cameroon
  • Q+A: Convincing forest dwellers to plant trees
  • The impact of logging in Central Africa's forests: Results of a 24-year study
  • Closing session