Information system for forest spatial planning, GABON
Gabon is a major forest nation with over 22 million hectares covered with dense forest, representing 85% of its surface area. With a population of 1.8 million inhabitants, it is ranked as one of the African countries with the highest forest surface area per inhabitant. It is estimated that around 40% of Gabonese forests are still in prime state and that the rate of deforestation, linked in particular to farming activities, is under 1%.
The forest sector is presently the second biggest source of revenue for the State in terms of its exploitation of the country’s natural resources.
The objective of setting up the control of forestry spatial planning project in Gabon, financed with French funding, is to preserve and perpetuate the country’s natural forest heritage by safeguarding sustainable promotion of Gabon’s forest resources. In parallel, the project needs to ensure that forest spatial planning projects are applied in an effective manner, guaranteeing the legality of forest management and control of forest exploitation as well as taking into account the (new) rules for international markets.
Main objectives and deliverables
IGN FI is supporting the CAF project to implement the Information System for Forest Spatial Planning (SIAF) which enables entities in charge of forests to develop a more sustainable management of the resource.
This project requires a review of current management mechanisms with a view to improving the performance of forest and water management. This anticipated modernisation involves the implementation of an Information System for Forest Spatial Planning (SIAF).
Deliverables
- Creation of a Quality Assurance Plan
- Analysis of the present situation
- Creation of framework specifications setting out the technological, organisational and financial means used for implementing the future SIAF
