Timber Production and Ecosystem Functions and Services in the Congo Basin

Abstract

Abstract Industrial logging for timber production has long played a major economic role in the Congo Basin countries. Here, logging for timber production is carried out in two main ways: industrial exploitation, whose products are generally destined for overseas markets, and artisanal exploitation, which primarily supplies national and regional markets. In the Congo Basin, industrial logging takes place in forest concessions. The Congo Basin has 453 forest concessions for a total area of 52,875,107 ha. For the year 2022, the Congo Basin produced 7,960,323 m 3 of logs each year. The notion of sustainable forest management has taken root in the Congo Basin with two main variations: better involvement of local populations in forest management and sustainable management of forest concessions. Currently, it can be estimated that 70% of the forest concessions allocated are actually under management. Logging, whether in the context of concessions or artisanal logging, inevitably leads to several negative impacts on biodiversity, carbon stocks, water resources, and forest cover. These various impacts are expected to be mitigated already through the implementation of sustainable forest management and forest certification. The prospects for sustainable timber production from the Congo Basin are based on the following approaches: Make a more exhaustive assessment of the management of forest concessions Integrate artisanal logging into national forest management policies Work to create incentives for further wood processing Promote timber production from forest plantations