Gabon Workshop

The report on this workshop has just been published and is available here: (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10534466).

The aim of the workshop was to co-construct the scientific and capacity-building aspects of the CP - Gabon. The aim was to clarify expectations in terms of research and capacity development in the country and to draw up a concrete action plan to strengthen scientific research and conservation capacity in the region.

The event brought together 39 Gabonese and 29 French scientists, divided into working groups focusing on four of the priority areas identified at the One Forest Summit. At the end of the workshop, and based on their collegial work, a roadmap with key objectives and results was validated.

1. Reliable carbon balance, plant biodiversity conservation and land use

This working group highlighted the strong links between plant biodiversity conservation, carbon balance and land use. The participants identified priority research needs and actions, as well as the stakeholders involved in Gabon. The workshop highlighted the need for substantial support for the rehabilitation of infrastructures, the basic operation of laboratories and research stations and the training of future generations of researchers. Data management was also identified as a longer-term priority.

2. Conservation of animal biodiversity, umbrella species, wildlife-environment interaction, management of human-wildlife conflict

The group working on topics related to animal biodiversity was able to define six objectives covering biodiversity assessment, its contribution to ecosystems, human-wildlife coexistence, local community involvement, capacity building and data management. A detailed plan of activities to meet these objectives was defined by the participants, and will provide a better understanding of biodiversity and its benefits for communities, increase scientific visibility, ensure harmonious coexistence and obtain quality data for decision-making.

3. Promoting sustainable value chains in the forestry industry

This strand targets non-timber forest products and biomass from the local processing of logs, which have so far been underexploited. The aim is to fill the knowledge gaps through research and development, so that these resources can be exploited to create high value-added products. The planned activities therefore involve training, capacity building and the production of composite materials.

4. One Health: development of tools for early detection and large-scale zoonotic surveillance, identification of pathogens in the bushmeat sector, gorilla health as sentinel of the impact of humans on the natural environment, etc.

This group looked at the risks of zoonotic disease emergence in Gabon, emphasising the importance of gaining a better understanding of their ecology and modes of transmission. The aim is therefore to develop tools for monitoring zoonoses, identify zoonotic reservoirs, understand modes of transmission, characterise pathogens in the bushmeat sector and establish a zoonotic monitoring system. The activities identified focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, effective surveillance and raising awareness among various audiences.

Coastal and marine environments were also the subject of a presentation, although there was no associated working group. Despite not being included in the scope of the OFVi, these topics should be part of the scientific component of the CP and will be the subject of a separate workshop.

Conclusions of the workshop:

The progress made at this workshop was unanimously welcomed by the participants. The OFVi's main lines of action for Gabon were validated for the next four years, while identifying avenues of collaboration for related actions (marine and coastal environments, One Health initiative, promotion of sustainable value chains in the forestry industry). The workshop also identified the human resources, infrastructure and equipment needed to implement the planned scientific actions.

Future workshops are already being prepared to launch the implementation of the action plan. In Gabon, two thematic workshops will be held between now and the end of the year at sites identified for OFVi field deployment: in the summer, a workshop on carbon and plant biodiversity will be held at the Ipassa research station (Ivindo), and in the autumn, a workshop at Lopé on animal biodiversity. A similar workshop will be held in the Republic of Congo in early 2024 to structure the scientific aspects of the CP-Congo.

If you would like to organise a similar event, please contact communication@data-terra.org.