African Timber Organization CI Set

4.1.3.5. African Timber Organization CI Set

Founded in 1976, the African Timber Organization enables members to study ways of influencing prices of wood and wood products by ensuring a continuous flow of information on forestry matters. The organization also harmonizes commercial policies and undertakes training and industrial research. Member countries include: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Cote dIvoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania and Zaire. Moving in the same direction as other regional initiatives and along the same pattern, the African Timber Organization has developed its own initiatives in identifying the right criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management - through various field tests at forest management unit levels that can be suitably operational in its member countries. The ATO’s criteria and indicators can also be used as a scientific tool for classifying, qualifying and certifying the degree of management in any given forest area. The list of ATO’s CI is given in Appendix 2. Table 4.9. shows the comparison of the developed CI with ATO’s CI. Table 4.9. A comparison of the developed CI with ATO’s CI The developed CI ATO CI Aspec t Code Item No. of Indi cato rs Co de Item No. of Indic ators Policy - - P Sustainability of the forest and its multiple functions is a high political priority - - C The Government has clear forest development objectives and a realistic action plan to meet them 2 The Government allocates adequate means for sustainable management of forests 3 Action is taken by the Government to reduce all types of pressures on the forest 2 At the international level, the Government has ratified or approved treaties, conventions or recommendations on sustainable development of forests Ecolo gy P. 1 Ecosystem integrity is maintained P The main ecological functions of the forest are maintained C.1.1 Biodiversity is maintained 4 Negative impacts of various interventions on biodiversity are minimized 8 C.1.2 Maintenance of ecological sensitive areas 3 - C.1.3 Ecosystem function is maintained 3 C The capacity of the forest for natural regeneration is ensured; The function of water filtration protection of water and soils of the forest is maintained. 3 1 Produ ction Econo my P. 2 Forest products and services are sustained - C.2.1 Forest has normal series of diameter size- gradation, normal volume and normal increment. 4 C - C.2.2 Normality in non-timber forest products and services 3 - P Areas devoted to forestry activities or the permanent forest estate are not declining C Areas devoted to forestry activities or the permanent forest estate are clearly delimited and their boundaries well established 2 C Efficient measures have been taken by the authorities to monitor the forest and to protect it against clearing, fire, settlements and illegal gathering of forest products 3 C The Government implements measures in order to promote the participation of various stakeholders mainly neighboring villagers in protecting the forest 2 Social P. 3 Forest is managed in the multi-stakeholder environments P Forests are adequately managed and developed irrespective of their role C.3.1 Rights of all stakeholders are established fairly and acknowledged 3 C - C.3.2 Fair benefit distribution among the stakeholders 4 - C.3.3 Stakeholders have a learning capacity related to the complexity of forest ecosystem management 3 C Forestry service and other stakeholders in the sector have enough capacity to properly develop and manage the forest for all its uses timber production, other forest products, ecology, farmer-forest relationships C A management plan has been established for the sustainable management of the forest taking into account all its components and functions 4 C Standards for silviculture and other activities adapted to suit the specific ecology of the forest and to ensure sustainable management have been developed and are operational. 3 C Planning and implementation of logging is carried out in conformity with guidelines of the management plan and the contract agreement based on technical and social standards as well as financial specifications 9 C Deforested areas are regenerated by natural or artificial means C Infrastructure roads, bridges, firebreaks, etc… is designed, established and maintained in such a way that negative impacts on the environment forest, soil, water course networks are reduced to a strict minimum 1 C Non-timber forest products and their uses are identified 3 C Guidelines for rational harvesting of non-timber forest products are defined and put into practice C Research is undertaken in order to define the conditions for a sustainable use of non-timber forest products C Guidelines for harvesting of non-timber forest products are monitored, evaluated and can be corrected if necessary Code ‘P’ is Principle; ‘C’ is Criterion; ‘-‘ Does not exist The ATO CI set includes policy CI, which are the responsibility of governments. They also mention the importance of plans and guidelines as a means of verifying certified forest management. The security of the FMU area is also mentioned.

4.1.5. Revised Generic Criteria and Indicators