1. “Walk & Talk”: bringing together stakeholders in tropical forests… in the forest

Inspired by an Anglo-Saxon concept, Walk & Talk is based on a simple principle: alternating 15 minutes of walking with 10 minutes of presentation. A far cry from the traditional conference format, this approach encourages more spontaneous exchanges and creates an environment conducive to networking.

The five-kilometre walk through the Raponda Walker Arboretum gave each participant the opportunity to present their work, projects and priorities, whilst learning about those of others. It was a practical way of strengthening ties between organisations and fostering new collaborations to support the tropical forests of the Congo Basin.

2. Building bridges between science, diplomacy and conservation

This inaugural event brought together around fifteen representatives from the fields of research, international cooperation, protected area management and conservation.

Those represented included the IRD, the French Embassy in Gabon, the National Agency for National Parks (ANPN), the Léon Mba Institute, The Nature Conservancy, the One Forest Youth Initiative, as well as several PhD students supported by One Forest Vision.

As well as providing an opportunity to present individual projects, the morning session helped to forge links between disciplines and institutions, identify shared interests and explore new avenues of collaboration for the benefit of the forests of the Congo Basin.

3. Discovering the ‘classroom’… perched high up in the treetops

The Walk & Talk also provided an opportunity to explore the Treehouse Classroom, a unique 100 m² educational space perched 14 metres above the ground in the canopy.

Built entirely from padouk and opened in 2021 thanks to support from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the ANPN, this structure welcomes schoolchildren, students and the general public to raise awareness of the richness of Gabon’s forest ecosystems.

A concrete example of innovative infrastructure serving the purposes of science outreach and environmental education.