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