Topic: central african republic

Forest Atlas of Central African Republic/L’Atlas Forestier de la République Centrafricaine

Sarah Parsons — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 20:06:13 -0500

Interactive Map/Carte Interactive

Carte Interactive/Interactive Map

Desktop Mapping Application

Coming Soon

GIS Data

Download all spatial data in the Congo Atlas (shapefile and raster format in zip archives).

Latest Version

2009 (Complete) (ZIP archive, 840.1 Mb)

Complete Atlas

Version 1, 2009 (ZIP archive, 1032.7 Mb)

Posters: L’Affectation Forestiere en Republique Centrafricaine

2009: French
2008: French

The Forest Atlas of Central African Republic is a living forest information system, which combines the use of remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and ground-truthing to monitor and manage forests. Through a combination of interactive mapping applications, posters, analytical reports, trainings, and outreach, the Atlas provides users with access to timely, accurate, and harmonized information about land use allocation (forest concessions, protected areas, etc.) in the national forest estate through a user-friendly and publicly accessible format.

Through the Interactive Forest Atlas and capacity-building of forest stakeholders in remote sensing, GIS, and forest information management, WRI and the Ministry of Waters, Forests, Hunting and Fishing (MEFCP) are working together to improve the quality and availability of information in the forest sector to support transparent and participatory decision-making towards sustainable forest management in Central African Republic.

L’Atlas Forestier Interactif de la République Centrafricaine est un système continu d’information forestière qui combine l’utilisation de la télédétection, les Systèmes d’Information Géographique (SIG) et les vérifications de terrain pour le suivi et la gestion des forêts. A travers ses produits constitués de cartes interactives, de posters, de rapports analytiques, l’Atlas donne aux utilisateurs un accès à une information actualisée, précise et harmonisée sur l’allocation des terres (concessions forestières, aires protégées, etc.) dans le domaine forestier de l’Etat sous un format convivial et accessible au public.

A travers l’Atlas Forestier Interactif et le renforcement des capacités des acteurs du secteur forestier en télédétection, en Système d’Information Géographique (SIG) et en gestion de l’information forestière, WRI et le Ministère des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et Pêche (MEFCP) travaillent de concert afin d’améliorer la qualité et la disponibilité de l’information dans le secteur forestier en appui à une prise de décision informée et participative pour une gestion durable des forêts en République Centrafricaine.

Coming Soon: Global Forest Watch 2.0

James Anderson — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:03:32 -0500

Welcome to the home of Global Forest Watch 2.0, a powerful near real-time forest monitoring system that unites satellite technology, data sharing, and human networks around the world to fight deforestation.

GFW 2.0 is currently under development, and will launch in late 2013.

Read more below, and email gfw2@wri.org to participate in the pilot testing period or be notified when GFW 2.0 launches. Please note that as we prepare for the launch, the original Global Forest Watch website has been redirected to this page.

Watch a Short Preview of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the UN Forum on Forests 10, in Istanbul.

Watch the full version here

Speakers:

Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Forestry, Indonesia
Kerri-Ann Jones, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute

Photo by David Gilbert

WHY FORESTS, WHY NOW?

Forests provide food jobs, raw materials, climate benefits and more. But without clear, up-to-date information, governments, companies and communities lack the tools to monitor and manage these resources.

We can track a company’s financial information daily, but information about forests is often years out of date.

Deforestation continues today in part because by the time satellite images are available, analyzed, and shared, the forest clearing is long done. The illegal loggers have moved on; cattle are already grazing amidst stumps; the oil palm plantation has been established. We simply find out too late.

New technologies can overcome these challenges

Fortunately, a convergence of technologies and human networks offers the ability to address these challenges for the first time:

Advances in satellite and remote sensing technology, including the launch of NASA’s Landsat 8 in early 2013, and new private systems, enable higher spatial resolution analysis and much more rapid updates of information. This has enabled the development of near-real-time forest cover change detection.
Brazilian partner IMAZON, is making its Amazon Alert System available through GFW 2.0, and also the DETER system which is innovating in detection of forest degradation. Brazil has seen a remarkable drop in deforestation in the Amazon of almost 80 percent partly due to improved linked to more effective use of satellite imagery.
Cloud computing and open source software can now be used to rapidly process and interpret large volumes of satellite data at low cost by utilizing clusters of servers scattered around the world. Google Earth Engine’s team is partnered with Global Forest Watch 2.0 to optimize easy access to cloud computing-based forest cover information.
High speed internet connectivity enables sending data and forest maps processed in North America, Europe, or Singapore to laptops and mobile phones in Jakarta, Kinshasa, Lima, Vladivostok, and other corners of the globe.
Smartphones are more common than ever and can be used by anyone in the field to download maps and satellite images, as well as upload GPS coordinates and photographs from the ground.
Crowdsourcing using simple web interfaces can empower thousands if not millions of people to gather and share information, participate in forest monitoring, and hold decision-makers accountable. • Social media outlets are creating a flat, networked world in which information travels fast, communities self-organize, and people get mobilized.

ABOUT GLOBAL FOREST WATCH 2.0

These enhanced technologies and social movements are the foundation for Global Forest Watch 2.0. GFW 2.0 will unite a near-real-time deforestation alert system, complementary satellite imagery and monitoring systems, WRI’s data-rich collection of maps, mobile technology, and a networked world to create never-before-possible transparency for faraway forests.

The platform is currently under development, and will be launched in late 2013.

This powerful new platform will enable responsible companies, NGOs, the media, and progressive government leaders to hold those responsible accountable for forest management.

GFW 2.0 can be useful to multiple groups of users involved with the sustainable management of forests:

Buyers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will enable buyers of sustainably sourced commodities―such as certified timber, palm oil, soya, and beef―to confirm adherence to or violations of supplier commitments to “no deforestation,” “no clearing of high conservation value forest,” and related criteria.
Suppliers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will help suppliers of sustainable commodities prove to buyers, investors, governments, and NGOs that their commodities are adhering to best forest management practices, national laws, criteria of the relevant commodity roundtables, or investor lending conditions.
Governments. GFW 2.0 is designed to help progressive elements in governments better enforce sustainable forest management and forest protection laws. GFW 2.0 is also designed to be a trusted, independent, and user-friendly way to help investors in REDD+ and other forest conservation projects monitor performance and hold countries accountable to their commitments on greenhouse gas emission reductions and forest conservation.
Conservation and community organizations. GFW 2.0 will enable NGOs dedicated to forest conservation, indigenous rights, and forest communities to identify deforestation hotspots as they arise and quickly mobilize action to curtail further clearing.
The media. GFW 2.0 will enable local, national, and international media to ring the alarm bell on deforestation hotspots around the globe at a pace never-before-possible, and thereby put pressure on governments, companies, and others to curtail forest conversion and illegal logging in time

Applying new technology

GFW 2.0 combines satellites, new algorithms, cloud computing, mobile phone technologies, and WRI databases to connect images, maps, photos, and data with forest clearing alerts ultimately within two weeks of significant deforestation occurring.

Because GFW 2.0 will be powered by Google Earth Engine and Earth Builder, it will bring to target users a seamless experience of the best technology offered by WRI, Google, and their partners, as Bloomberg does for the world’s vast, complex array of financial information.

Mobilizing human networks

GFW 2.0 will mobilize networks of people to ensure sustainable management of forests and greater forest conservation. Global Forest Watch “anchor” NGOs in each priority country or region, will actively use and contribute content in an open-source, network model.

These groups will include ScanEx and its non-profit affiliate Transparent World in Russia, Imazon in Brazil and their Amazon-wide network of partners across the seven neighboring countries, the Observatoire Satellital des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale (OSFAC) which covers the Central Africa region. More partners in Canada, China, Europe, and the United States are joining every day.

Watch a Sneak Peek of GFW 2.0 presented at Rio+20

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Carlos Souza Jr., Senior Researcher, IMAZON
Charles Barber, Forest Division Chief, Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, U.S. Department of State
Rebecca Moore, Google
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch UNEP’s press conference featuring GFW 2.0 at COP18 in Doha

Speakers:

Mr. Heru Prasetyo, Deputy I, Presidential Delivery Unit on Development Monitoring and Oversight, Government of Indonesia
Tim Christophersen, Senior Programme Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Jane Feehan, Natural Resources Specialist, European Investment Bank
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch a Sneak Peek of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the U.S. Pavilion, COP18 in Doha

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Nigel Sizer, Director, Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute
Nirarta “Koni” Samadhi, Head of REDD+ Task Force Working Group on Moratorium Monitoring, Presidential Work Unit on Monitoring and Development Oversight (UKP4), Government of Indonesia
Per Fredrik Ilsaas Pharo, Director, International Climate and Forest Initiative, Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, Government of Norway
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Read more about WRI’s forest work here.

RELEASE: Project Launched to Support Conservation and Improved Forest Management in the Congo Basin

Lauren Zelin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:02:47 -0400

Global Environment Facility begins pilots in Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo

The Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Resources Institute (WRI), and Rainforest Alliance joined with officials from government, national NGOs, the private sector, and international development organizations throughout the Congo Basin to launch a regional Global Environment Facility (GEF) project will focus on improving forest management and conservation.

The project, entitled A Regional Focus on Sustainable Timber Management in the Congo Basin, is starting with a set of activities at the regional level and in three pilot countries: Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. The regional launch held in Douala, Cameroon, on March 20-21 was followed by events in Bangui, Central African Republic, on March 27, and Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, on March 29. A subsequent launch event is expected to be held in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, in April 2012.

At the regional launch event in Douala, Adamou Bouhari, UNEP/GEF Task Manager, invited the participants to collaborate closely on this effort to address illegal logging and ensure that the management of production forests is carried out in a sustainable manner. According to Bouhari, initiatives at the national level have had significant impacts, but have focused on the ‘formal’ sector rather than the informal sector, and have not addressed regional and cross-border issues. GEF and UNEP involvement in this project will ensure that the Global Environment Benefits (GEB) are maintained and enhanced through a regional approach.

“WRI is very excited and proud to undertake this important and challenging four-year project to serve as a regional catalyst and work to promote a harmonized approach to the sustainable management of production forests,” said Pierre Methot, WRI’s Director of Forestry for Central Africa and Project Director. “This project will reinforce WRI’s already strong presence in the region and enhance our efforts to improve transparency and governance in the Congo Basin that focus on timber management, REDD, and other aspects of sustainable forest development.”

This project forms part of the GEF Congo Basin Strategic Program and will contribute to the implementation of the Convergence Plan and reinforce the capacity of COMIFAC.

The project will also capitalize on Rainforest Alliance’s ongoing work in Cameroon, and elsewhere around the world, with community-based forest enterprises.

According to Rainforest Alliance’s Senior Vice President & Vice President of Forestry Richard Donovan, “The forests of the Congo Basin are an incredible resource, but how do we ensure that local communities and indigenous people truly benefit from commercial activities, based on timber or carbon, in a way that supports forest conservation and community livelihoods? That is a critical challenge for this effort.”

# # #

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) is an Implementing Agency of the Gobal Environment Facility (GEF) with the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is the only GEF Agency whose core business is the environment. UNEP plays a key role in supporting countries to develop and execute GEF projects that fit within its comparative advantage. www.unep.org

The World Resources Institute is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and fulfilling human aspirations in the future. www.wri.org

The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. www.rainforest-alliance.org

# # #

New Interactive Atlas Will Help Central African Republic Manage Forests

Scott Thompson — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:23:57 -0400

CAR government and people will now be able to track and monitor the country’s forests and logging concessions.

En Français

Landlocked between its African neighbors, the Central African Republic (CAR) relies heavily on its forested southwestern corner to support national and local economies. The CAR’s forest sector represents 10 percent of the country’s GDP – the highest percentage of any forested Congo Basin nation, including Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition to supplying valuable wood products on the international market, the forests and the ecosystem services they provide serve as the lifeblood for local populations.

The CD-ROM Atlas and report provide an accurate picture of activities in the CAR’s forest sector. View the Report.

In recognition of the parallel economic and environmental benefits of its forests, the CAR has been working with the international community over the past 15 years to implement sustainable, socially responsible forest management policies. In 1997, the CAR became the first Congo Basin nation to allocate industrial forest logging permits that mandated improved logging methods and management plans. At present, 75 percent of the country’s industrial logging sites are operating under such plans, which have been approved by the Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fishing (MEFCP).

In spite of these regulatory improvements, the CAR still faces challenges in the day-to-day monitoring of its forest sector. Due to insufficient forest data and technical capacity at the national level – particularly with regards to satellite monitoring and mapping capabilities - it has been difficult for the CAR government to ensure that logging operations are, in fact, in compliance with CAR’s forest management policies and international wood legality regulations. Without accurate forest sector information, officials are unable to effectively discern “legality” from “illegality” or, more broadly, make sound resource use decisions. Without access to credible information on timber operations, civil society is unable to monitor the adherence to policy or the respect of community rights.

The Dzanga-Ndoki National Park is adjacent to the CAR’s logging areas.

To fill this data gap, WRI signed an agreement in 2007 with the MEFCP to strengthen the government’s mapping and geo-spatial forest monitoring capacity, integrate forest sector data, and disseminate information to all relevant actors working in the forest industry. The principle product of this collaboration is the Interactive Forest Atlas.

Through a collection of interactive maps and data sets, the CD-ROM Atlas and accompanying report provide the CAR government and the public with an accurate presentation of activities occurring within the CAR forest sector. Designed in a user-friendly format, the Atlas will serve as a platform to help all stakeholders – from government agencies and private companies to NGOs and forest communities – enforce regulations and defend their rights.

Emmanuel Bizot (Minister of Water, Forests, Hunting, and Fishing), Pierre Methot (WRI) and Paul Doko (WRI) at the official launch of the Atlas in Bangui, CAR.

Future versions of the CAR Interactive Forest Atlas will build upon this premier version, which is based on data collected through December 2009. Through these updates, as well as through continuous trainings for forest sector stakeholders on how to use the Atlas, WRI and MECFP aim to place forest information securely into public hands and make transparent, sustainable forest management the status quo. This will benefit not only the CAR government, but also the local communities dependent upon forest resources for their fragile livelihoods.

Land Use Classification and Logging Concessions in the Central African Republic

The Interactive Forest Atlas of the Central African Republic project received generous support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Un atlas interactif aidera la République Centrafricaine à mieux gérer ses forêts

Le gouvernement centrafricain et ses citoyens peuvent maintenant suivre et surveiller les forêts du pays et les concessions forestières.

Enclavé entre ses voisins africains, la République centrafricaine (RCA) dépend largement de son espace forestier au sud-ouest du pays pour soutenir les économies nationales et locales. Le secteur forestier de la RCA représente 10 pourcent du PIB - le plus haut pourcentage de tous les pays forestiers du Bassin du Congo, y compris le Cameroun et la République démocratique du Congo. En plus de fournir des produits de bois précieux sur le marché international, les forêts et les services écosystémiques qu’elles sont la principale source de revenu des populations riveraines.

Depuis 15 ans, la RCA s’efforce, avec l’appui de la communauté internationale, de mettre en œuvre des politiques de gestion forestière durables et socialement responsables, en reconnaissance des services économiques et environnementaux fournis par les forêts. En 1997, la RCA est devenue le premier pays du bassin du Congo à allouer des permis d’exploitation forestière industrielle requérant de méthodes d’exploitation durables et des plans de gestion. Aujourd’hui, 75 pourcent des sites d’exploitation forestière industrielle du pays opèrent dans le cadre de ces plans, qui ont été approuvés par le Ministère des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et Pêche (MEFCP).

Malgré ces avancées réglementaires, la RCA reste confrontée à des défis importants en matière de suivi de son secteur forestier. Le manque de données sur l’évolution du couvert forestier d’une part, les capacités techniques insuffisantes au niveau national d’autre part (notamment dans le cadre de la surveillance satellitaire et de la cartographie) ont limité la capacité du gouvernement centrafricain vérifier que les opérations d’exploitation forestière respectent les lois et règlements nationaux . Faute d’information précise, les gestionnaires forestiers sont incapables de discerner de manière efficace la «légalité» de «l’illégalité» ou, plus largement, de prendre de bonnes décisions sur l’utilisation des ressources. De même, la société civile ne peut pas surveiller le respect de la politique ou le respect des droits communautaires sans accès à une information crédible sur l’exploitation forestière.

Pour combler ces lacunes, WRI a signé un accord de collaboration en 2007 avec la MEFCP pour renforcer les capacités du gouvernement en matière de cartographie et de surveillance géo-spatiale des forêts. L’accord incluse également l’intégration des données du secteur forestier, et la diffusion des informations à tous les acteurs travaillant dans l’industrie forestière. Le résultat tangible de cette collaboration est l’Atlas Interactif Forestier.

L’Atlas fournit sous forme de CD-ROM un ensemble de cartes interactives et de données, ainsi qu’un rapport d’analyse, afin de fournir au gouvernement centrafricain et au grand public une représentation exacte des activités se déroulant dans le secteur forestier en RCA. Créé dans un format convivial, l’Atlas servira de plateforme intégrée permettant à toutes les parties prenantes - organismes gouvernementaux, entreprises privées, ONG, et communautés forestières - de mieux faire respecter les règlements et de défendre les droits des populations.

Les versions futures de l’Atlas Interactif Forestier de la RCA mettront à jour cette première version, qui est basée sur des données recueillies jusqu’en Décembre 2009. Ces mises à jour, ainsi que les formations continues sur l’utilisation de l’Atlas proposées par le WRI et le MECFP à tous les acteurs du secteur forestier, mettront à la disposition du public des données récentes et fiables sur le couvert forestier pour une gestion durable et transparente. Cela profitera non seulement au gouvernement de la RCA, mais également aux populations locales qui dépendent des ressources forestières pour leur survie.

Le projet de l’Atlas Forestier Interactif de la République Centrafricaine a été entièrement et généreusement financé par l’Agence Américaine Pour le Développement (USAID).

Land Use Classification and Logging Concessions in the Central African Republic

Maggie Barron — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:55:48 -0400

English | En Français

Downloads

Overview

Logging concessions cover less than 6 percent of the Central African Republic (CAR), but dominate the small portion of the country occupied by rainforests. The forest sector represents 10 percent of national GDP, the highest percentage of any country in the Congo Basin region. Adjacent to the logging areas is Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, part of the Sangha River Tri-National Protected Area which supports some of the region’s largest populations of endangered mammals such as forest elephants and lowland gorillas. This map is featured in WRI’s Interactive Forest Atlas for the Central African Republic, a mapping tool produced with CAR’s Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fishing that will be used to track and monitor the country’s forests and logging concessions.

Copyright

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. Cite “World Resources Institute.”

Other Featured WRI Maps

This map is part of a continuing project to produce maps that shed light on significant environmental issues throughout the world.

Affectation des Terres en République Centrafricaine

Les concessions forestières couvrent moins de 6% de la République centrafricaine (RCA), mais dominent la petite partie du pays occupée par les forêts tropicales. Le secteur forestier représente 10% du PIB national, le pourcentage le plus élevé de tous les pays de la région du Bassin du Congo. Adjacentes aux zones d’exploitation est le Parc National Dzanga-Ndoki, une partie de l’aire protégée du fleuve Sangha qui soutient certaines des plus grandes populations de la région de mammifères menacées, comme les éléphants forestiers et des gorilles. La carte ci-dessous est aussi dans l’Atlas Interactif Forestier de la République Centrafricaine, un outil de cartographie produite par WRI et la Ministère des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et Pêche de la RCA, qui sera utilisés pour suivre et surveiller les forêts du pays et les concessions forestières.

La République centrafricaine: Les aires protégées

Maggie Barron — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:58:52 -0400

La République centrafricaine: Le découpage de l’aménagement

Maggie Barron — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:49:43 -0400

La République centrafricaine: Situation de plans d’aménagement

Maggie Barron — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:46:50 -0400

La République centrafricaine: Statut d’attribution des permis forestiers

Maggie Barron — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:44:06 -0400

La République centrafricaine: Les infrastructures

Maggie Barron — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:39:39 -0400

La République centrafricaine: Affectation du domaine forestier

Maggie Barron — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:31:28 -0400

La République centrafricaine: La végétation

Maggie Barron — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:23:20 -0400

Interactive Forest Atlas for Central African Republic (Atlas Forestier Interactif de la République Centrafricaine)

Scott Thompson — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:48:20 -0400

English | En Français

Summary

The Interactive Forest Atlas for the Central African Republic (CAR) brings together - for the first time - current information on the CAR forest sector in a single, interactive mapping platform. Future versions of the Atlas will build upon this first edition, thereby giving decision makers an accurate, up-to-date representation of forest activities taking place on the ground in CAR.

Background

The CAR Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fishing (MEFCP) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) are working together to improve the quality and availability of information on CAR’s forest sector and, simultaneously, build the country’s remote sensing, GIS, and forest information management capacities. The Interactive Forest Atlas of CAR is one of the major products of this collaboration. Through a combination a data sets and interactive maps, the Atlas CD-ROM and accompanying report present forest information in an easy-to-use, publicly accessible format. Targeted to all stakeholders working in CAR’s forest sector, the Atlas enables users to monitor the government’s sustainable forest management policies and logging activities.

CAR Forest Sector

Logging takes place primarily in the forested southwestern corner of CAR which forms the northern end of the Congo Basin dense tropical forest block. In order to strike a balance between the economic benefits provided by logging with the ecosystem services accrued from intact forests, the government of CAR is working to employ new techniques to manage the forests in a sustainable manner. Over the past fifteen years, CAR has improved the regulatory and institutional framework of its forest sector. Industrial logging rights are now granted by the MEFCP through logging permits which manadate that a company implement a forest management plan and install a wood processing factory on site.

Key Atlas Themes and Data Sets

Forest Land Allocation - Through a collection of maps, the Atlas provides an overview of the different types of government forest land use allocations.
Roads – The Atlas offers an overview of logging and transportation infrastructure, as well as the network of public roads in CAR. The placement of roads and tracks on to a map of forest logging zones can help officials identity irregularities and guide surveillance missions on the ground.
Production Forests - The Atlas provides information on the status of logging permits, timber volume figures, management plan status, and annual harvestable areas within logging permts. Mapping of this information makes it easier to monitor the implementation of CAR’s logging policies and verify conformity with forest laws.
Protected Areas - Through easy to read maps, the Atlas shows where protected areas are located in CAR, thereby supporting local authorities in their maintenance of existing protected areas and the establishment of new ones in areas that minimize conflict with other land uses.

The Interactive Forest Atlas of the Central African Republic project received generous support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Résumé

L’Atlas rassemble, pour la première fois, au sein d’une plate-forme unique, cartographique et interactive, toute l’information sur le secteur forestier, jusqu’ici mise à disposition des décideurs sous forme de simples cartes « papiers » et de tableaux divers. Les versions à venir de cet Atlas permettront de mettre à jour les données déjà disponibles et de rajouter des nouvelles informations indispensables, permettant ainsi un meilleur suivi spatiotemporel du territoire et du secteur forestier.

Contexte

Le Ministère des eaux, forêts, chasse et pêche (MEFCP) et le World Resources Institute (WRI) se sont associés pour améliorer, d’une part, la qualité et la disponibilité de l’information géographique nécessaire à la prise de décision dans le secteur forestier, et d’autre part, les capacités nationales de la République centrafricaine en matière de télédétection, systèmes d’information géographique et cartographie. Ce document de synthèse présente l’un des produits majeurs attendus de cette collaboration – à savoir la toute première version de l’Atlas forestier interactif de la République centrafricaine (ci-après l’Atlas). Cet Atlas permet de suivre la mise en oeuvre de la politique de gestion durable du gouvernement centrafricain et de faciliter le contrôle de l’exploitation forestière. L’Atlas tire son originalité de deux innovations : (1) le recueil d’informations qui n’étaient pas facilement accessibles jusqu’ici et (2) la combinaison et la présentation de ces informations sous forme cartographique. Disponible sur CD-ROM, l’Atlas se compose d’une application cartographique interactive, organisée par thèmes, qui permet aux utilisateurs de isualiser des informations sur le secteur forestier et d’imprimer des cartes. L’Atlas est utile à toutes les parties prenantes du secteur forestier centrafricain. Il s’adresse aux décideurs et aux techniciens impliqués dans la production, la gestion ou l’utilisation de l’information géographique sur le secteur forestier.

Le Secteur Forestière en RCA

L’exploitation forestière se localise dans le massif forestier fermé du sud-ouest de la République centrafricaine. Celui-ci forme l’extrémité nord de la forêt du bassin du Congo. Afi n de mieux encadrer l’exploitation forestière et de préserver les services environnementaux que la forêt lui procure, le gouvernement centrafricain oeuvre à la cartographier, à l’organiser et à la gérer de façon durable. Ces quinze dernières années, la République centrafricaine a amélioré le cadre réglementaire et institutionnel de son secteur forestier. Ainsi, le droit d’exploitation industrielle est octroyé par le MEFCP par le biais d’un permis d’exploitation et d’aménagement, sous conditions d’exécution d’un plan d’aménagement et d’installation d’une unité de transformation.

Thèmes de l’Atlas

L’affectation du territoire forestier- Ce thème donne une vue d’ensemble des différents types d’affectation du domaine forestier de l’État. La représentation spatiale de ce thème permet notamment de prévenir les confl its d’usage du sol.
Les routes- Ce thème présente les infrastructures d’exploitation et de transport du secteur forestier, ainsi que le réseau routier public du territoire centrafricain. La superposition de l’emplacement des routes et pistes forestières aux zones aménagées pour l’exploitation forestière industrielle permet notamment d’identifi er des irrégularités potentielles et d’orienter ainsi les missions de surveillance sur le terrain.
Les forêts de production - Ce thème traite du statut d’attribution des permis forestiers industriels, des chiffres de l’exploitation, du statut d’aménagement et du découpage des forêts en permis forestiers. La représentation spatiale de ces informations permet de suivre la mise en oeuvre de la politique d’exploitation durable de la République centrafricaine et de vérifi er la conformité au règlement forestier.
Les aires protégées - Ce thème présente la répartition des aires protégées dans le massif du sudouest et sur le reste du territoire centrafricain. Leur représentation spatiale permet d’appuyer les autorités compétentes et leurs partenaires dans le cadre de la mise en place de nouvelles aires protégées ou de corridors de conservation, ainsi que d’appuyer l’aménagement des aires protégées.

Le projet de l’Atlas Forestier Interactif de la République Centrafricaine a été entièrement et généreusement financé par l’Agence Américaine Pour le Développement (USAID).