Special Wildlife Conservation meeting

Using timber certification as a tool for wildlife management: experiences from West and Central Africa.

Conservation efforts often focus on protected areas as refuges for conserving biodiversity. However, these areas represent less than 10% of remaining forest in Africa and are often too small or fragmented to protect rare or wide-ranging species.

At the same time, around a third of Africa’s forests are now allocated to the exploitation of timber and therefore the survival of many emblematic species, such as gorilla, chimpanzee and forest elephant, as well as other wildlife, will depend on their successful management within these timber concessions.

Increased consumer demand has led to the development of schemes to certify that timber comes from sustainably managed forests. Do timber certification schemes provide the key to securing a future for wildlife in the working forests of tropical Africa? Examples of efforts to improve wildlife management in logging concessions will be given and the role that timber certification schemes might play in ensuring the implementation of best management practice discussed.

Meeting to be chaired by Dr Glyn Davies (WWF UK)
Speakers to include:
Fonvinyuh Gordian Fanso (Forest Stewardship Council)
Justice Eshun (Samartex Timber and Plywood Company Ltd)
Dr Eric Arnhem (ZSL Wildlife Wood Project - Cameroon)
Dr Nico Dauphiné (ZSL Wildlife Wood Project - Ghana)

Please note that this event has already taken place.

Using timber certification as a tool for wildlife management Wildlife Conservation event abstracts (97 KB)

This 'Wildlife Conservation' event is in addition to our published programme of Science and Conservation Events; talks will begin at 6.30pm (doors from 6.00pm) and talks are scheduled to finish at 8.00pm; admission is free and open to everyone. This event will be held in the ZSL Meeting Rooms and seats will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

A dinner with the speakers will follow this event and places must be booked in advance. A dinner booking form is available to download.

ZSL Science and Conservation Events: An essential part of ZSL's work is to communicate relevant, high-quality zoological and conservation science. The integrated ZSL Science and Conservation Events programme includes Symposia, and the new 'Wildlife Conservation' and 'Communicating Science' series. Topics cover a wide variety of zoological and conservation themes, and international experts present and discuss their research

Further Information: contact Paul De Ornellas, Research Assistant, Africa Conservation Programmes, ZSL London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY. Web: www.zsl.org/science/scientific-meetings; Tel: +44 (0)20 7449 6392; E-mail: paul.deornellas@zsl.org.

Related links
ZSL Science and Conservation Events
Map showing ZSL Meeting Rooms
Directions to ZSL London Zoo
UN International Year of Biodiversity