Highlights

Update on the TFF Gabon Project

Developments since the completion of the first phase of the project

Project completion:

The Gabon project has completed the current phase which was financed by ITTO. All objectives of the project have been met. With the assistance of the partner company the project has been able to complete the model forest as one of the last activities done in 2010.

The project ended by the end of February 2010. The completion reports on this project can be downloaded below.

Summary of results

The overall results of the project have been as follows: The project has installed a model forest of about 250 hectares in the "Monts de Cristal" area in the concession of partner SEEF. In this model forest exploitation has been conducted in a old fashion (uncontrolled) way, in the currently most practised way and with the application RIL techniques. A comparison of these three types of exploitation showed RIL has the least damaged surface per hectare. This is due to a lower number of trees cut per hectare due to sound pre harvesting selection. Trees not fit for sale have been left standing. The map below (in French) show the three different areas:

Also the volume per tree cut in the RIL section of the forest was higher then in the non RIL sections.

The gap size created by the trees cut did not differ significantly. This confirms earlier studies on the subject in Africa. Contrary to the situation in South America trees are not tied together by lianas but are tied downwards. Trees also stand isolated and for these reasons the damage of a falling tree is related directly to the size of the tree and not to the preparatory work in the forest (climber cutting) or the technique of felling used.

Cost wise it was shown that applying RIL in the conditions prevailing in the study area does not increase the costs.

The forest is to function as a model forest. Forest this reason a GPS-walk has been created in the forest. Using the GPS the walk will lead pas various examples of good and bad practises in forest harvesting. This can be used by student for getting an idea of what RIL means, but it will also allow to come back to the locations and see good and bad effects some time on. The maps showing the walk is depicted below:

The project has been intensively occupied in the training of company personnel. 179 workers of logging enterprises have been trained in various subjects of RIL during the two years. The project also trained some 50 students and some 50 people from the forestry administration.

Concerning the training of trainers, the engineers working with the project can now train in most every subject of RIL except felling. For felling one trainer was trained. Unfortunately it proofed extremely difficult to find more fellers who could be trained to become teachers. Most of them just did not have the required level.

The project has organised several seminars and workshops for the information and training of people. The project website is still online and will be updated soon to include the latest news. The project has created many training modules and supporting documentation. In a new phase this can be used to train and inform interested parties.

Follow-up: a new proposal

In cooperation with the ministry in Gabon a proposal has been written for a second phase of ITTO funding. The proposal was submitted by the ministry of forestry. The French organisation ONF International has been included as project partner.