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forest certification in developing and transitioning countries
Table 4 Factors affecting the emergence of forest certification Sub-Saharan in Africa
Country Dominant forestry Forest Land ownership Market orientation Effect on
problems policy response patterns certification
Gabon Degradation of forest land of In 1992 Gabon govern- All forests part of Strong reliance on Limited demand for certifica-
“exceptional bio-diversity” ment took a “top down” publicly owned timber export tion has come from external
which currently covers 20 approach, reforming “national forest markets has resulted markets; aid projects from
million hectares or 4/5ths of institutional and legal domain” comprised in forest sector being external NGOs have focused
land base; limited institutional frameworks, including of two sections: second largest source on non-timber products such
design, low enforcement development of forest permanents forests of Gabon’s export as honey and wild mushroom
capacity, lack of trained staff, planning and har- that cannot be revenues; the certification; one pine planlimited
scientific knowledge vesting. New forest converted to other domestic market tation certified in anticipation
of complex forest ecosystems; code adopted required uses and non- remains very small – of higher prices they would
(low population density means private concessionaires permanent forests: and only small scale command in foreign markets.
that deforestation is not as to manage forests rights to harvest businesses are
significant a problem as in according to specified forests come through interested in supplyother
African countries.) sustainable forestry forest concessions ing wood products
goals; creation of (between 50,000-200,000? to the national market
community forestry hectares (which cover traditionally, France
and local develop- 11 million hectares); and other European
ment initiatives “associated forest countries constituted
financed by logging permits” for Gabon Gabon’s dominant
operations. nationals that cannot timber market; however
exceed 50,000 hectares, since 1995 Gabon’s most
but can be managed in important market has
conjunction with shifted to China and
concession lands; and other parts of Asia; in
“mutual agreement” 2001 Gabon exported
permits that Gabonese more than 2.5 million
citizens can obtain to cubic meters of raw
harvest 50 trees or fewer. round logs, with about
45 percent of it going
to China (OIBT 2002).
yale school of forestry & environmental studies