foei forests and biodiversity program meets
Deforestation and biodiversity loss are spurred by international trade and economics. So when the Friends of the Earth International Forests and Biodiversity Program had its first meeting in the capital city of Yaounde, in southcentral Cameroon last September, the focus was international initiatives.
Campaigners agreed to work on two international campaigns to stem destructive logging, and on monoculture plantations. We also agreed to develop a broad framework to integrate biodiversity issues in the program.
Several important lines of work will include fostering community exchanges, information-sharing on legal resources for protecting forests and biodiversity, and opening spaces for dialogue within the FoEI federation on key issues relating to forests and biodiversity.
Meeting participants also took the opportunity to visit a community-based forest management project in Mbalmayo, not far from Yaounde. Cameroon, home to 20 million acres of humid tropical forest, faces huge challenges to stem illegal and destructive logging, fuellled by a booming export market to European countries. Yet the six communities we visited in Mbalmayo have successfully overcome many obstacles to collectively manage 5,000 hectares of forests, restoring native tree species and developing long-term plans for sustainable timber extraction and other forest products.
The FoEI delegation was greeted warmly by the community residents, who shared their stories on gaining control of the forest, and their ongoing struggle against industrial loggers who encroach on their forest.
The visit was an inspiration to all forest campaigners, and provided a welcome opportunity to reflect on the challenges we must overcome to make community-based forest management a reality.
with thanks to our funders: the dutch ministry of foreign affairs, hivos, the swedish society for nature conservation and the sigrid rausing trust
