Year of publication 2003

---

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

---

Pages 126

---

Product type Book (stand-alone)

---

Series title FAO Forestry Paper

---

Series number 0259-2800

---

Edition 1

---

Synopsis (short abstract) Conscious of the threats to their forest ecosystems, the countries of Central Africa are multiplying their efforts related to the sustainable management of their forests, for example by adopting new policies, revising forest laws and elaborating tropical forest action plans. Local initiatives in sustainable forest management include decentralization of power to the local level, participatory approaches and taking into account the multiple uses and functions of forests. To highlight the numerous efforts undertaken in forest management within the past 20 years, FAO, within the framework of the FAO/Netherlands Partnership Programme and in close collaboration with regional and international organizations, recently launched a new initiative entitled In search of excellence to identify and document successful examples of sustainable management of Central African forests. Using an open, transparent and participatory approach, 24 nominations originating from nine countries were obtained. This document describes these forests and contains in-depth analyses in the form of 14 case studies. The management practices identified demonstrate the evolution of the forest sector in Central Africa. Forest management models are becoming more and more complex: interventions now involve the different forest management actors, take into account the different products and services derived from the forests and aim at alleviating poverty and contributing to the conservation of biological diversity. Des pite the many constraints identified, the new approaches and techniques are used for a variety of forest management objectives, at different scales and for different management structures. It is hoped that this compilation of information will constitute a source of inspiration for the actors in the forest sector and will lead to more widespread application of improved forest management practices which include all aspects of sustainable development.

---

Language English

---

Also available in:

• French

---