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French timber company seeks ecological niche in Africa
March 26, 1997
Web posted at: 11:05 a.m. EST (1605 GMT)In this story:
From Correspondent Gary Strieker
GONGUE, Gabon (CNN) -- A French company has a plan to transform itself into the first ecologically sound timber operation in the Central African rain forest.
"We realized at this time that deforestation in the world and especially in Africa started to have a very big impact on our consumers in Europe," said Paul Smadja of Isoroy.
Experts have warned that unsustainable logging will soon destroy the forests and wildlife of the Central African country of Gabon. They say conservation laws are inadequate and barely enforced in a country rich with plant and animal species.
Isoroy decided that if consumers wanted wood products from companies that do not destroy the rain forest, it would become that company.
Environmental code of conduct
The company developed an environmental code of conduct to guide its operations, setting limits for tree felling and methods to minimize damage to other trees.
The company will use a complete forest inventory as the basis for a 30-year management plan to harvest trees with minimal impact on the forest canopy and wildlife. The company also will help grow new trees.
Company rules discourage hunting of wildlife in the forest and forbids company drivers from transporting the meat of wild animals.
The company is building a fish pond and chicken farm in the area to give company workers sources of meat other than wild animals.
There's even an education campaign to train employees and their children to understand and obey environmental standards.
And researchers get company support to study the forest and the impact of logging.
International certification sought
All these measures, however, are meaningless for the company's business unless it can label its products to convince consumers it is practicing sustainable forestry.
For that, the company needs certification by the Forestry Stewardship Council, a new international body established for just that purpose.
Investigators for the council are now reviewing Isoroy's case for certification.
Some conservationists oppose it, describing much of Isoroy's new image as "window dressing." They especially object to the company's plans to extend operations to an area they say is a protected reserve.
The logging operation at Gongue is a serious test case for certification. If it works, this could be a pioneer example for other large-scale loggers, not only in Central Africa but in tropical rain forests everywhere.
If it doesn't work, a rare source of hope for saving the Central African rain forest could vanish.
Related stories:
- Rain forest aborigines crowded out by newcomers, loggers - March 11, 1997
- Mission impossible: conserving Cameroon's natural resources - February 25, 1997
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