News

Relay of the following WWF PUBLICATION :

"We are honored to share with you this 2022 annual report, which is the fruit of our shared commitment to harmonious life between people and nature.

Our team, with the full support of government representatives at various levels, private and civil society organizations, has achieved positive changes in the field, not only for the benefit of our key conservation targets, but also and above all for the benefit of local communities, the architects of conservation, for the sustainable development of the areas in which we operate. “

Trees, forests and sustainable forestry can help the world combat looming environmental crises such as climate change and biodiversity loss. This requires societies to better recognize the considerable value of forests and their crucial roles in building inclusive, resilient and sustainable economies.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012.The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The theme for each International Day of Forests is chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests.  

The theme for 2023 is "Forests and health."

https://youtu.be/SUEsiXBUYzI

https://www.fao.org/international-day-of-forests/en/

Quote Mongabay 

Previous studies have shown that Africa’s tropical forests store more carbon per hectare than Amazonian forests. But how they do so is still a puzzle. It turns out that elephants play an outsized role in the upkeep of healthy forests. New research shows that without these giant gardeners, forests in West and Central Africa would be poorer in biodiversity and carbon.

These publications highlight that:

• The dietary habits of African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) promote the survival of large, high wood density trees better at storing carbon.

• New research finds that forest-dwelling elephants browse on trees with low wood density, making space for bigger, heftier carbon-rich trees.

• The elephants also act as seed dispersers for these larger trees.

• Cautioning that determining exactly what role local elephant extinctions have played in changing forest composition is tricky, the researchers argue that elephants may boost above-ground carbon storage in Central African forests by 6-9%.

https://news.mongabay.com/2023/01/elephants-promote-jumbo-trees-boosting-the-carbon-stores-in-africas-forests/

Berzaghi, F., Bretagnolle, F., Durand-Bessart, C., & Blake, S. (2023). Megaherbivores modify forest structure and increase carbon stocks through multiple pathways. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(5). doi:10.1073/pnas.2201832120

JOUBERT Plywood is committed to meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow. Our range of Okoumé and Poplar plywood panels, with their demanding environmental and sanitary qualities, provide real solutions for sustainable and responsible construction and for designing living spaces that ensure well-being and comfort. 

YouTube : https://youtu.be/kQ7fiV0bJEY

The Tropical Timber Atlas, published in 2016 by Éditions Quæ in French and in 2017 in English presents technological information on wood for all professionals who process and use wood from temperate or tropical species. It covers the main technological characteristics of 283 tropical species and 17 temperate species most commonly used in Europe, together with their main uses. Technical descriptions of a selection of tropical species will be published regularly in the Bois et Forêts des Tropiques journal.

Full reference and access to the book:

J. Gérard (coord.), D. Guibal (au.), J.-C. Cerre (au.), S. Paradis (au.), and 40 authors, 2016. Tropical Timber Atlas – Technological characteristics and uses. Publisher: Éditions Quæ, 1000 p. https://www.quae.com/produit/1408/9782759225521/atlas-des-bois-tropicaux

Doi and access to the general information leaflet: https://doi.org/10.19182/bft2021.347.a36353

Copyright © 2021, Bois et Forêts des Tropiques © Cirad

A new study by researchers at the University of Oxford, finds that logged rainforests are treasure-troves of healthy ecological function and should not be written off for oil palm plantations.

• New study examines the flow of ecological energy across old-growth forests, logged forests and oil palm;

• The study surveys mammal and bird species across these landscapes to calculate food energetic pathways: how photosynthetic energy cascades from sunlight to be distributed among organisms;

• Relative to energy flow in old-growth forests, study finds 2.5 times more total energy flows in logged forests;

• The study findings question the use of the word “degraded” to describe logged tropical forests.

The research, ‘Logged tropical forests have amplified and diverse ecosystem energetics’, published in Nature tackles this issue through the perspective of ecosystem energetics - the cascade of energy from plants to mammals and birds through the food they consume. 

Professor Malhi concludes: ‘In tropical forests, and probably in many other ecosystems, not everything that looks broken, is broken.’

The Tropical Timber Atlas, published in 2016 by Éditions Quæ in French and in 2017 in English presents technological information on wood for all professionals who process and use wood from temperate or tropical species. It covers the main technological characteristics of 283 tropical species and 17 temperate species most commonly used in Europe, together with their main uses. Technical descriptions of a selection of tropical species will be published regularly in the Bois et Forêts des Tropiques journal.

Full reference and access to the book:

J. Gérard (coord.), D. Guibal (au.), J.-C. Cerre (au.), S. Paradis (au.), and 40 authors, 2016. Tropical Timber Atlas – Technological characteristics and uses. Publisher: Éditions Quæ, 1000 p. https://www.quae.com/produit/1477/9782759227716/tropical-timber-atlas

Doi and access to the general information leaflet: https://doi.org/10.19182/bft2021.347.a36353

Copyright © 2021, Bois et Forêts des Tropiques © Cirad

Everyone is aware that the climate is in trouble. With increasing pressure to help tackle the climate emergency in the construction industry, experts are promoting the environmental benefits of carbon sequestration in timber and what we can do to help them slow down the rate of global warming whilst providing a sustainable resource for construction.

To better understand, watch this video published by Wood for good 

https://woodforgood.com/news-and-views/2022/08/12/new-animation-carbon-capture-in-timber/

In the 2022 edition of The State of the World's Forests, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) identifies three interrelated solutions involving trees and forests that can facilitate economic and environmental recovery.

1. Halting deforestation and maintaining forests could avoid emitting 3.6 +/- 2 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) per year between 2020 and 2050, including about 14 percent of what is needed up to 2030 to keep planetary warming below 1.5 °C, while safeguarding more than half the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity.

2. Restoring degraded lands and expanding agroforestry – 1.5 billion ha of degraded land would benefit from restoration, and increasing tree cover could boost agricultural productivity on another 1 billion ha. Restoring degraded land through afforestation and reforestation could cost-effectively take 0.9–1.5 GtCO2e per year out of the atmosphere between 2020 and 2050.

3. Sustainably using forests and building green value chains would help meet future demand for materials – with global consumption of all natural resources expected to more than double from 92 billion tonnes 2017 to 190 billion tonnes in 2060 – and underpin sustainable economies. 

In addition, trees, forests and sustainable forestry can help the world recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and combat looming environmental crises such as climate change and biodiversity loss. But this requires societies to better recognize the considerable value of forests and their crucial roles in building inclusive, resilient and sustainable economies.

“There will be no healthy economy on an unhealthy planet” (FAO, 2022)

https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb9363en/

This tool engages companies, investors and other stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of global sustainability commitments. 

19 companies and investors across sectors, ranging from major market actors alongside companies operating in important forest producing countries, are the first leading participants in WWF’s new multi-stakeholder impact platform designed to address deforestation and forest degradation in landscapes around the world.

 A guide is available here.

TotalEnergies and Compagnie des Bois du Gabon (CBG) have joined forces to develop a forward-looking model of sustainable and responsible forest management that combines sustainable harvesting, biodiversity conservation, and long-term carbon storage. 

CBG is a key player in Gabonese forestry, recognized for its responsible and sustainable management of 600,000 hectares of forest, certified to the highest international standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), and for its ongoing contribution to protecting biodiversity. 

The forest management model applied by the partners will make it possible to develop a new balance between, on the one hand, the harvesting and local processing of sustainable wood combined with carbon storage and, on the other, the production of related carbon credits thanks to the reduced impact of forest operations, reforestation, agroforestry and conservation of natural forests. This new model is in line with the “Green Gabon” vision of the Gabonese authorities – the country’s development strategy to sustainably manage its natural resources for the benefit of the population – as well as Gabon's climate policy.

"We are pleased to join forces with CBG to support the evolution of Gabonese forestry. This is a key economic sector for the country, and we will help develop its carbon sequestration capacity in compliance with the highest international standards. This is an innovative partnership both by nature and ambition," said Nicolas Terraz, President of Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies. "We are also particularly delighted to extend our activities in Gabon to sustainable and responsible forest management, after more than 90 years of investment and economic activity in the exploitation of the country’s hydrocarbon resources." 

"Climate change and nature loss call for action. This is a long-term ambition that requires re-thinking certain models, challenging current practices and innovating. Forests are of crucial importance in the fight against climate change. We need to anticipate and be progressive to meet the challenges for the population, the country of Gabon, biodiversity and climate,” said Hubert and Guillaume Fenart, CEOs of CBG. "The arrival of a major player like TotalEnergies will make it possible to expand CBG's activities and develop large-scale carbon initiatives within the framework of Gabon's climate law."

Gabon owns vast protected areas, a natural potential that was recently highlighted by former U.S. President Barack Obama in the series "Our great national parks", which is documentary devoted to the most beautiful national parks on the planet.

In the first minutes of episode 1 the Loango National Park, a coastal zone in Gabon which encompasses the Iguela Lagoon, was in the spotlight. This documentary pays tribute to Gabon's exceptional position in nature conservation, thus reflects on all partner organizations located in and around the Loango complex.

To preserve this unique landscape the wildlife conservation project PROLAB was installed, with the mission to protect and conserve wildlife species native to this ecosystem such as elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, leopards, buffaloes, antelopes and many others. PROLAB is carried out within the framework of the National Action Plan for Protection of Wildlife, a tripartite collaboration which was signed in 2008 and renewed in 2015, between the Ministry of Water and Forests, the WWF and the Compagnie des Bois du Gabon (CBG).  This exemplary Public-Private Partnership builds awareness among adjacent communities and the local population, monitors and restricts hunting activities thus conducts field surveys and assessments to help preserve the Loango complex for future generations.

 « At WWF we dream of a planet where mankind lives in harmony with his natural environment.

To achieve this, we strengthen the rights of indigenous communities and work for the preservation of the threatened ecological landscapes.

This is a complex task, which requires all human beings to be united and for us to work together.

Therefore, partnerships play a key role in WWF's effort to mobilize all stakeholders. It is obvious that sustainable management of natural resources is achieved through a collaboration between key partners, including governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses, individual donors and local communities.

It is in this perspective that a Public-Private Partnership (PROLAB) between the Administration for Waters and Forests, CBG and WWF was set up in 2008. The objective of this partnership is to set up a multi-stakeholder approach system for the sustainable management of natural wildlife resources, beneficial for the communities bordering CBG's Forest Concession under Sustainable Development (CFAD). »

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The theme for each International Day of Forests is chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. 

https://www.fao.org/international-day-of-forests/en/

The purpose of the Forest Information Billboard is to gather all news from the forest sector in one place: from forest reporting, new publications, and upcoming events.

This famous website has just taken up the work carried out by the CBG teams from the forest, logistics, processing and marketing on the GOMBE BY CBG project to promote Gombé species.

It’s a source of pride and encouragement!

Link forest information billboard 3-2021

The global target of this project supported by the  PPECF is to guarantee the economic viability of an abundant species allowing the survival of responsible management systems in Central Africa. The diversification of species to be offered on the markets is becoming a necessity. The economic survival of certified companies in the Congo Basin and in the field depends on the sustainability of the concession model under responsible (sustainable) management according to the FSC® standards. Standards and technical justifications increasingly force the timber market. A promotional process undertaken by the CBG for five years has shown that Gombé has solid potential.

To this end, several specific objectives have been defined to frame the action strategically:

• Facilitate the marketing of Gombé, from sustainably managed forests and the resource of which is guaranteed in quantity and renewability.

• Communicate to manufacturers and consumers the real properties of Gombé;

• Improve the marketing approach of this material.

Therefore, the trade of this species can only increase if it is accompanied by optimized data on its characteristics, attested by recognized laboratories, or through use tests on which manufacturers can rely, in complete confidence.

• CIRAD (Center for International Cooperation in Agronomic Research for Development) is an organization that works on the characterization of forest species undertaken by the CTFT (Centre Technique Forestier Tropical) since 1924. It has a very rich and diversified database and recognized experts and consistent laboratory equipment. CIRAD will therefore carry out comparative tests between the three species.

• FCBA is the Industrial Technical Center for Wood in France. It contains the BNBA (Office for Standardization of Wood and Furniture), which sits on all European and international standardization committees. In this sense, it has equipped itself with suitable laboratory equipment to grant approvals or certifications specific to certain uses and internationally recognized. According to the XP CENT / TS 13307-2 standard, this laboratory will perform bonding tests to verify the suitability of Gombé for CTB LCA bonding certification.

• SHR laboratory (Stichting Hout Research) is engaged in applied scientific research on the use of wood and its transformation into other materials and products. In particular, it carries out tests allowing the SHK to grant KOMO certification for industrially bonded wooden elements based on the BRL - ERM 4000 / URL Historic carpentry 4001 standards.

• To finish, Termolegno has been assisting manufacturers located in more than 60 countries since 1994. It is specialized in the design, production, and installation of drying machines, vaporization, and heat treatment. Termolegno company is recognized worldwide as one of the largest manufacturers of dryers for the primary timber industry. This company will carry out drying tests.

By seeking to guarantee the economic viability of Gombé, the proposed activities aim at perpetuating the sustainable forest management system set up by CBG. This also implies securing jobs and socio-environmental benefits associated with these activities.

The promotion of an abundant tropical species at a modest cost can also lead to developing a local processing sector.

8th FSC Congo Basin Community Newsletter - July 2021.

Website of FSC Nederlands

https://nl.fsc.org/nl/tropisch-hout/congo-basin-community

The Forest stewardship Council’s Dutch office has commissioned research on the introduction of LKTS on the European market. This resulted in a broad analysis of threats and opportunities that describe the environment for lesser known timber species on the European market. The research included 9 timber species from the Congo Basin region including gombé.

The research was conducted by Tijmen Hennekes, a graduate student from University of Applied Science Van Hall Larenstein how is now receiving his bachelor’s degree in international forestry and nature management.

Key findings from the research paper:

• There is a high demand for sustainable solutions on the European market. Tropical timber could be the answer to this, provided the general image of sustainably sourced tropical timber improves.

• European trade flow analysis shows that there is a demand for tropical timber which is currently not utilized, this indicates there are opportunities for LKTS market development.

• Okan and Fraké/ Limba have proven themselves on the EU tropical timber market and are now widely accepted. In the future they should be promoted as such.

• The timber species Movingui, Kosipo, Limbali, Omvong/ Eyoum, Gombé, Olon each show their own potential to be successful on the EU market. Although work is still to be done to allow full market access.

• Pilot projects with lesser known timber species can generate reference cases for the market, which can be communicated throughout the whole tropical timber value chain as promotional material. This will likely boost demand for LKTS from the Congo Basin.

The in-depth research work, benefiting from the support of PPECF, carried out on Gombé, from the forest to the laboratories (SHR - Termolegno - CIRAD - FCBA) was underlined by the young researcher.

CBG congratulates Tijmen Hennekes for this achievement.

For more information please do get in contact:

Tijmen Hennekes

T:  +31 (0)30 276 7220/ +31 (0)6 462 270 89

E:  t.hennekes@fsc.nl 

W: www.fsc.nl 

Source : Timber Trade Federation

Wood is the only truly sustainable and renewable building material. By choosing to build with sustainable timber, businesses are helping to preserve and grow the worlds forests, and combat climate change.

🌎 Trees capture CO2 & store it as carbon.

🏡 When trees become wood products the carbon remains in the wood products.

🌳 More trees are planted and the size of our forests carbon sink grows.

For every cubic meter of wood used in construction, one tonne of carbon dioxide is absorbed and stored. This means even after transportation, timber will often have a negative carbon footprint.

Find out more : 

https://ttf.co.uk/sustainability/

LIFECYCLE DATABASE

Despite the quantity of samples and species being relatively low, the data acquired establishes a basis of evaluation for assessing geographic origin claims of certain forest products including plywood and laminates from Gabon. The differences in the sulfur isotope ratios of Okoume and Dacryodes reference samples from Precious Woods Group (PWG) and Compagnie des Bois du Gabon (CBG) forest concessions suggest that regional scale origin classification may be realized with high enough frequency of reference sample collection. This study helped to establish the minimum number of reference samples (five per species per site) required in order to account for variance of isotopic distribution at a single sampling site. Low frequency of sampling per site and limited sample numbers mean that investigation of the Dunbar line hypothesis was not possible on this occasion. Further, higher resolution sampling of target species including Okoume and Dacryodes will address this much needed comparison as it may enable more efficient allocation of reference sampling resources. Further sampling of Burseraceae family timbers in the tropics may permit a global model for verifying their geographic origin.

https://worldforestid.org/2020/11/09/protecting-forest-in-gabon-with-stable-isotope-testing/

See and download the full report here : “Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis of timber, Gabon”

Tropical forests contain a multitude of wood species and a great number of these are potentially of commercial value.

There is an urgent need for diversifying the market for timber species by commercialising new species from well-managed forests

Sources: 

https://www.lesserknowntimberspecies.com/

http://www.fao.org/forestry/communication-toolkit/en/

CBG is renovating sawdust extraction systems.

This new equipment will allow:

- Better working comfort for operators;

- Optimization of yields;

- The creation of value;

- Greater customer satisfaction.

CBG is proud to offer a demanding clientele products of excellence "Made in Gabon" according to the international FSC® standard.

Commissioned by the municipality of Oldambt, the province of Groningen and Blauwestad and in collaboration with Strukton Civiel, Oosterhof Holman and Wijma Kampen B.V. the longest bicycle bridge in Europe will be realized.

With a length of 800 meters, the bridge "De Blauwe Loper" will be a trendsetter of its kind, also in the field of circular and bio-based construction.

The construction of the bridge started at the beginning of this year and the work has now progressed. Many Azobé wooden bridge sections have now been placed on the substructure by Wijma.

The main span of the Blauwe Loper project near Wijma in Kampen was loaded onto a pontoon for transport over water to the construction site at Winschoten.

The 42 ml long main span over the A7 weighs approx. 90 tonnes and is 3.5 m wide between the railings and was loaded on a barge to be transported over water to Winschoten. 

The Azobé wooden bridge was provided by Wijma from engineering to production.

CBG is proud to have participated in the supply of these 100% FSC® Azobé made in Gabon.

Experts at WRI, The Nature Conservancy and other institutions mapped potential rates of carbon capture from “natural forest regrowth,” a restoration method distinct from active tree-planting, where trees are allowed to grow back on lands previously cleared for agriculture and other purposes.

The results, published in Nature and available on Global Forest Watch, show that letting forests regrow naturally has the potential to absorb up to 8.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year through 2050, while still maintaining native grasslands and current levels of food production.

That’s the equivalent of soaking up 23% global CO2 emissions from the atmosphere every year.

This is on top of the carbon sequestration already provided by existing forests, which currently absorb around 30% of C02 emissions each year.

Plant and animal species across the world are steadily disappearing due to human activity. A major new IIASA-led study suggests that without ambitious, integrated action combining conservation and restoration efforts with a transformation of the food system, turning the tide of biodiversity by 2050 or earlier will not be possible.

Biodiversity — the variety and abundance of species, along with the extent and quality of the ecosystems they call home — has been declining at an alarming rate for many years. It is clear that we cannot allow the current trend to continue. If it does, there will simply not be enough nature left to support future generations. While ambitious targets have been proposed, practical issues such as feeding the Earth’s growing human population could make reaching such targets a challenge.

Full article available here : https://scitechdaily.com/bending-the-curve-of-biodiversity-loss-ambitious-conservation-and-restoration-efforts-required/

Forests are at the heart of the environmental, social and economic issues that will shape our future.

1.6 billion people depend directly on them for their livelihoods; they concentrate 80% of the Earth's

biodiversity, are an essential factor in climate regulation, purify the water we drink and the air we

breathe. They also carry emotional and cultural values and are a source of well-being. Forests are

indispensable to life.

Please find here the full article (issued and translated from FSC® France website : https://fr.fsc.org/fr-fr/actualites/id/482) 

In order to preserve the health of its employees, and in accordance with the directives decreed by the Gabonese government, CBG as well as CBPG have implemented a series of actions organized according to a precise plan.

CBG's COVID-19 emergency plan covers the entire staff of the company. It also applies to subcontractors (rental of equipment with driver) and service providers (guarding, construction work, maintenance, electricity, etc.).

It concerns the offices of Port-Gentil, the sawmill, the Bon Abri log yard and the isolated forest sites (Rabi, Douengui and Peny).

Preventive measures and barrier gestures remain essential to guarantee everyone's health.

As stated, it is everyone's responsibility to follow the instructions defined in this emergency plan.

21 October 2019, Rome – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ) has launched a new guide based on the idea that forests are a natural solution to clean water for all.

Forested watersheds provide 75 percent of freshwater for human consumption, and 90 percent of the world’s cities rely on them for their water supply. However, only 25 percent of forests around the world are managed with water conservation in mind.

The goal of the new publication, Advancing the forest and water nexus — a capacity development facilitation guide, is to help decision-makers, technicians and local communities to better understand the connection between water and forests and to consider them in an integrated way.

The relationships between forests and water have an important role to play in at least nine of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the publication.

For example, zero hunger (SDG 2) depends on water security, which in turn depends on forests: they intercept moisture from the atmosphere, help form clouds and rain, replenish groundwater and act as natural water purifiers, providing clean water for animals and crops.

Access to water also affects gender equality (SDG 5), since women and girls are the ones most often burdened with fetching it. Taking care of forests can improve access to water, reducing the time required to collect it.

Full FAO article and Guide to download here 

FSC® forest management standards place strict requirements on forest managers to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functions.

Full article of FSC® AFRICA  here

Gerhard Dieterle is Executive Director of The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), an intergovernmental organization that promotes conservation of tropical forest resources and their sustainable management, use and trade.

Some of the world’s biggest companies and markets are demanding proof that any imports of wood or wood products from their suppliers, are from legal and sustainable sources. Retail giants such as IKEA, Kingfisher and Carrefour have promised to only use certified and legally compliant timber. While The Lacey Act in the United States of America, the European Union Timber Regulation, Australia’s Illegal Logging Prohibition Act and the Japan Clean Wood Act all require evidence of legality.

Full article here - on forestnews.cifor.org 

Large herbivores, such as elephants, can have important effects on ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. Yet, the influence of elephants on the structure, productivity and carbon stocks in Africa’s rainforests remain largely unknown. Here, we quantify those effects by incorporating elephant disturbance in the Ecosystem Demography model, and verify the modelled effects by comparing them with forest inventory data from two lowland primary forests in Africa. We find that the reduction of forest stem density due to the presence of elephants leads to changes in the competition for light, water and space among trees. These changes favour the emergence of fewer and larger trees with higher wood density. Such a shift in African’s rainforest structure and species composition increases the long-term equilibrium of aboveground biomass. The shift also reduces the forest net primary productivity, given the trade-off between productivity and wood density. At a typical density of 0.5 to 1 animals per km2, elephant disturbances increase aboveground biomass by 26–60 t ha−1. Conversely, the extinction of forest elephants would result in a 7% decrease in the aboveground biomass in central African rainforests. These modelled results are confirmed by field inventory data. We speculate that the presence of forest elephants may have shaped the structure of Africa’s rainforests, which probably plays an important role in differentiating them from Amazonian rainforests.

Full article here according to Fabio Berzaghi et al. research 

In addition to providing shelter and resources to people, the mangrove is one of one of the most carbon-storing ecosystems. The protection of these seaside forests is essential.

"There are three reasons why the mangrove is an exceptional carbon sink," explains Romain Walcker, an engineer at EcoLab (functional ecology and environment laboratory at CNRS and Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse). First, the mangrove is a dense, fast-growing wood. When we measure the dry matter per hectare (our unit to estimate the amount of wood present), we obtain more important figures than for other types of forests. While the neighboring tropical forests, also made up of dense woods, generally capped 300 t of dry matter per hectare, the researcher measured mangroves in Guyana reaching more than double.

Full article (French) :

WWF recently published a briefing synthesizing the latest scientific research showing FSC®-certified concessions can harbor a diversity of species, from big cats to small insects. Based on two different studies, the research showed that commercially logged tropical forests can help preserve wildlife when they are managed according to the FSC® standards. WWF also created a new website offering visitors a virtual tour of an FSC®-certified forest to discover some of the species recorded by the researchers.

More details here

You can also find the Full report here 

Extract from the WWF report : 

"COMMERCIAL LOGGING IN TROPICAL FORESTS 

Commercial logging is an integral part of our economies, providing a vast range of products we use in our daily lives. It is also a significant source of revenue in many tropical forest countries, and provides a livelihood for many people in areas where economic opportunities are limited. Nearly one-third of the tropical forest area globally is designated for timber production; around 560 million cubic meters of industrial roundwood is harvested annually from tropical forests. Poor logging practices have significant impacts on forests and the biodiversity they support. They damage wildlife habitats and diminish the ability of forest ecosystems to recover or provide services such as clean water, traditional medicines and other non-timber forest products. On the other hand, responsible, well-managed logging concessions can help prevent deforestation by adding economic value to forests, while also acting as wildlife corridors or buffer zones around protected areas.

FOREST MANAGEMENT AND CERTIFICATION Forest certification provides independent third-party verification that production forests are being managed responsibly, including in ways compatible with maintaining forest biodiversity in good health. WWF considers the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) to be the most credible of these voluntary certification systems. FSC® recognizes and promotes “environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable forest management”. FSC®-certified logging operations are required to follow strict environmental standards, for example conserving forests that have high conservation value (HCV), limiting the use of chemicals, restricting hunting, and mitigating and repairing damage caused by logging operations."