African Timber Organization (ATO)

From TrustAfrica wiki - African Regional Organizations

E. Sissy-Wilson
Technical Director
Forest Management Certification
African Timber Organization (ATO)
BP 1077 Libreville, République du Gabon
Tel.: 241-73-2928
Fax: 241-73-4030

Mr Felix Essame, oab-gabon@internetgabon.com

Description

The African Timber Organization’s (ATO) main priority since 1994 has been to promote the implementation of sustainable forest management in ATO member countries, and in accordance with recommendations made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, it has chosen to use five principles, two sub-principles, 26 criteria and 60 indicators at the regional and national levels. Its member countries include Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Cote-d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome, Principe and Tanzania.

Track Record

The Second ATO Colloquium on the Promotion of Timber Industrialization in Africa held from 16-18 April 1997 in Libreville, Gabon, supported the efforts of the African timber-producing countries in developing competitive means of processing timber in conjunction with promoting sustainable forest management.

Together IFIA and the ATO are promoting a system of pan-African certification and have participated in establishing principles, criteria and indicators (PCI) for the sustainable management of African natural tropical forests in collaboration with the CIFOR and the ITTO. The PCI have already been validated by five ATO member countries. These CIFOR/ATO PCI were tested for their coherence with those of the ITTO in May 2001 in Yaoundé and the international PCI of the FSC in Libreville in December 2002.

Challenges

Western Africa is home to more than 8,500 plant species. The impact of the wood trade on the tropical forest environment is great. There is a plethora of plants, animals and insects in danger of at least regional extinction if the destruction of the rainforest continues. The deforestation will have repercussions on other environments adding to the global warming and further bio-diversity problems.

Opportunities

The recycling of many products would aid in reducing demand for wood. African governments should also consider planting fast growing trees that are meant just for harvesting rather than using only native mature (old growth) trees.