Awareness raising on the role of institutions and communities in forest management

Commercial logging is ongoing in Congo Brazzaville since 1920. Extraction took place in the southern forest block, and started in the northern block since 2000. The legal framework for commercial logging aims for sustainable management of forest concessions, satisfaction of interests of local communities and involvement of local authorities in the management. However, the legislation is in many cases not practiced, resulting in unsustainable forest exploitation and limited benefits to local communities from logging. Several initiatives and processes are addressing the governance problem in the forest sector of Congo Brazzaville. The Congolese government installed an Independent Observer – aiming to control the implementation of forestry laws. The IO indeed finds that illegality is widespread in the sector and that only a third of the agreements in the Cahier des Charges are actually being implemented, leaving the benefits for communities limited. These social aspects of logging are also important conditions for FLEGT process and FSC certification. CEDEV believes that there is a need to strengthen capacities of local communities and administration in monitoring the implementation of Cahier des Charges and make them aware of their rights and duties. This is not sufficiently attended by ongoing projects. It is not the mandate/aim of the IO and a project that will be funded by FAO (to be conducted by AMEA), aiming at vulgarisation of the forestry code, is focusing only on the major cities. The aim of this project is to improve awareness of local communities, civil society and administration on their rights and duties concerning commercial logging. These stakeholders will also help to formulate suggestions for improvements in legislation. These suggestions are important, as the forestry code is to be reviewed in 2010 in Congo Brazzaville. The project is targeting 4 of the 12 departments of Congo Brazzaville (2 in south/2 in north) aiming to work with local administration, NGOs/associations and 12 communities.