Towards a collaborative future for Africa's tropical forests: the success of a key scientific meeting

An exceptional scientific event

Organised by the French Academy of Sciences and the GEO-TREES and One Forest Vision (OFVi) initiatives, the workshop brought together high-level researchers from Africa, Europe, America and Asia. The aim of the event was to strengthen scientific cooperation, in particular by sharing the various carbon quantification methods that are essential to the fight against climate change.

A rich programme to strengthen scientific cooperation

A first day dedicated to the presentation and results of several international initiatives

The launch of the workshop was marked by a series of high-level presentations by researchers, institutions and representatives of international initiatives involved in the study and preservation of African tropical forests.

This first day highlighted the main research initiatives and collaborative platforms with which OFVi is coordinating to strengthen research efforts for the conservation of the Congo Basin forests:

• GEO-TREES, this initiative aims to create a global database on forest biomass by standardising and aggregating measurements from permanent plots to improve land surface modelling and Earth observation.
• PANGEA, an international initiative exploring the feasibility of a major NASA-led field campaign on terrestrial ecology to provide key data for improving climate models and tropical forest management.
• Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI), which is developing innovative approaches to monitoring Congolese forests and training young African researchers.
• The work of the CongoFor1.5 programme, which is part of the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) in relation to carbon monitoring and climate policies.

These presentations illustrated the diversity of scientific approaches and technological tools used to improve carbon quantification in Africa. They also opened the debate on the challenges to be met in order to promote sustainable international collaboration that has a positive impact on conservation objectives.

Two days of group work and reflection

On 5 and 6 February, the conference took the form of interactive workshops, organised in the form of round tables and thematic working groups. These sessions explored a number of strategic areas for the preservation of Africa's forests.

The importance of long-term scientific investment
Discussions focused on the need to maintain permanent research sites in African tropical forests in order to collect reliable data over several decades. The example of the Dja (Cameroon), Ipassa (Gabon) and Luki (DRC) research stations illustrated the value of these infrastructures for monitoring carbon stocks and studying biodiversity.

The challenges of monitoring carbon in tropical environments
The researchers highlighted the difficulties associated with the diversity of African forest ecosystems and the logistical constraints in the field. Solutions were discussed, including improving measurement protocols and integrating new sensors to refine forest biomass estimates.

The contribution of remote sensing technologies and field monitoring
The workshop explored possible synergies between ground-based measurements and satellite observations. The integration of airborne laser scanning (ALS) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) was presented as a major advance for better mapping of forest structure and refining carbon storage models.

The co-benefits of carbon storage and preserving biodiversity
The discussions highlighted the interconnection between forest conservation and the protection of animal and plant species. Case studies illustrated how certain sustainable management strategies can maximise these co-benefits, notably by limiting habitat fragmentation and promoting reforestation.

International initiatives and the creation of scientific synergies
The focus was on collaborative platforms and the need for more effective sharing of reliable and clean scientific data. Access was also given to data management, and underlying issues such as sovereignty of data ownership.

The challenges of training and capacity building
A final round table looked at the prospects for training young African researchers and students, to ensure that knowledge is passed on and disseminated to ensure sustainable management of carbon and biodiversity in tropical forests.

A success hailed by participants

The event was unanimously praised by the participants, who highlighted the richness of the discussions and the quality of the presentations. The three days of discussions enabled synergies to be developed and strengthened between the various players involved in monitoring and conserving Africa's forests. New collaborations have emerged, opening the way to a pooling of efforts for more effective and sustainable management of forest ecosystems.

OFVi would like to warmly thank GEO-TREES and the Académie des Sciences for co-organising this event, as well as all the partner researchers and institutions for their commitment and valuable contribution to its success. This meeting marks a key stage in the structuring of scientific initiatives around forest carbon and opens up new prospects for more integrated and collaborative monitoring of African tropical forests.