GA0003 Gabon: Conservation and Protected Area Development in North-East Gabon



Project Summary:

View Map

The forest block in the Minkébé region, located in the north-east corner of Gabon, is considered one of the most biologically rich in Africa, containing important populations of elephant, chimpanzee, gorilla, giant forest hog, and

bongo (a forest antelope). The area is relatively undeveloped (it falls outside the natural limit of "okoumé", Gabon's primary export wood) and is therefore a good candidate for protected status. This project involves the preparation and implementation of a detailed land­use management plan for north-east Gabon, including proposals to promote sustainable forest industries, and to ensure that funds generated in the region are reinvested in local conservation and development activities. Efforts will be made to ensure that conservation measures are applied to forestry, mining, agriculture, and hunting in the area. Public awareness about tropical forest conservation will be promoted via an environmental education programme.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 10
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 80
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0
Sustainable Resource Use 10 Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Gabon is part of one of the most biologically diverse regions on the African continent, the Guinea­Congolian regional centre of endemism. It has had a stable, moist climate since the Pleistocene period and has therefore become one of the last refuges for African tropical forest species. As much as 85% of the land is covered by tropical rainforests, which harbour an estimated 8,000 plant species, and a rich fauna of over 150 mammals and 600 birds. Forest elephants are found throughout Gabon, which is believed to have the largest, and probably most stable, population of this species in Africa. Gabon is also an important natural primate sanctuary, with at least 20 species recorded.

In addition to its rich rainforest resources, Gabon has a low population density and one of the highest living standards in Africa, making it one of the few countries in the world with excellent potential for conservation. It has also managed to escape the kind of rapid, uncontrolled development which has caused environmental problems in other developing countries. Gabon has no National Parks, but there are five protected areas (PAs), including three faunal reserves administered by the Wildlife Department. Logging is taking place in all five protected areas and oil exploration in one. Logging is highly selective; almost 90% of the trees cut are from one endemic species, the "okoumé" (Aucoumea klaineana), which produces a lightweight wood used to make plywood. This highly selective logging has led to alteration of the habitat through tree-felling and road construction, and has opened up new areas for hunting and settlement.

Until now, little attention has been paid to conservation within Gabon by either government or international conservation organizations. But now the government has begun to make funds available for conservation and has recognized that development should not take place at the expense of the country's natural heritage. This represents an important change in conservation awareness in Gabon. In 1985 the Gabon government asked WWF and IUCN to review the protected area system with the aim of promoting the establishment and effective management of a network of National Parks and PAs to conserve the biological diversity of the country's tropical forests. This review (undertaken under WWF project GA0001) highlighted an urgent need to prevent logging and poaching within existing reserves in order to protect flora and fauna. It also included strong recommendations for improving the management of existing reserves and for establishing a new PA in the north-east. WWF has responded by supporting a study of the effects of selective logging on tropical forest habitats (GA0002), and by providing funds to the Wildlife Department for the management of the Lopé Reserve (GA0006). An action plan for conservation in Gabon has also been prepared.

View Map

This project involves the preparation and implementation of a detailed land­use management plan for north-east Gabon. This will include proposals to promote sustainable forest industries, and to develop a system which ensures that funds generated in the region are ploughed back into local conservation and development activities. Efforts will also be made to ensure that conservation measures are applied to forestry, mining, agriculture, and hunting in the area. Another component will be an environmental education programme to promote public awareness about tropical forest conservation.

Project Objectives:

1. To prepare and implement a detailed land­use management plan for north-east Gabon.

2. To gazette a protected area in the project zone.

3. To integrate conservation measures into forestry, mining, agriculture, and hunting activities in the area.

4. To establish sustainable forest­based industries.

5. To develop a system through which funds generated in the region are ploughed back into local conservation and development activities.

6. To develop an environmental education programme for schools.

7. To help develop public awareness of tropical forest conservation.

GA0003.1: Conservation and Protected Area Development in North-East Gabon (Feb. 89 - Jun. 00)

Activity Background:

During the first phase of the project, a team (including a team leader, ecologist, and rural development specialist) will spend six months collecting information on the region's biological assets, demographic patterns, forestry, tourism, and mineral potential. This information will be used to establish the actions needed to create a protected area in the region, and the costs involved. The project will be discussed throughout with the Gabonese authorities. A final report will be presented at a workshop involving all the interested parties. The aim is to preserve the biological diversity of the region while at the same time ensuring that there are benefits for local communities living around the protected areas.

The second phase of the project is expected to involve support for infrastructure development, boundary demarcation, agroforestry, and the introduction of a scheme to ensure that funds generated by the project go to the rural population living around the protected area. If the project methods are approved by the government, they could serve as a model for other protected areas in Gabon.

Activity Objectives:

1. To ensure conservation of the high endemism in this area of Gabon.

2. To ensure gazetting of the Minkébé reserve.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Protected Area Establishment; Protected Area Management.

Activity Species:

Bongo (Tragelaphus euryceros); Dja river warbler (Bradypterus grandis); Forest elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis); Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla); Grey­necked picathartes (Picathartes oreas).

GA0004 Gabon: Environmental Education Programme

Project Summary:

This project focuses on introducing environmental education into the Gabonese school system, and developing a non­formal education and public awareness programme for use in both rural and urban areas to help promote conservation awareness. The underlying aim is to support WWF's conservation programme in Gabon.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 25Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 25 EE & Capacity Building 100
Oceans and Coasts 15 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 20 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 15 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Tropical rainforests still cover up to 85% of Gabon, and more than a third of the forest is undisturbed. The country also has important populations of lowland gorilla, chimpanzee, and forest elephant. Gabon has a low population density and is relatively affluent due to its oil resources. These two factors, coupled with the lack of access roads to the interior, have so far afforded a natural protection to large areas of primary tropical forest.

In order to support the considerable effort that WWF is putting into environmental protection in Gabon, it is essential that education and public awareness programmes are developed in parallel with the other activities which make up the WWF Country Programme for Gabon. Until the start of this project, environmental education was virtually absent from the school system, and no rural conservation awareness projects had ever been undertaken. It is essential that both decision-makers and the population as a whole are aware of the dangers of overexploiting wildlife resources, and of the importance of rational management of these resources. Begun in 1991, the Education Programme has focused on developing materials for primary and secondary schools, using the media to disseminate conservation messages, aiding groups in the formation of non­governmental organizations (NGOs), and researching the possibility of starting a rural public awareness campaign.

Project Objectives:

1. To continue introducing environmental education into the Gabonese school system.

2. To develop non­formal education and public awareness methods in both rural and urban areas of the country.

3. To promote conservation awareness and support local WWF actions which are undertaken within the country plan.

GA0004.1: Environmental Education Programme (Aug. 90 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

Work carried out under this activity consists of developing materials and training teachers to use these materials as a means of introducing environmental education into Gabon's school system. The country's media is fairly well developed and reaches a large portion of the population. In an effort to tap into this resource the Education Programme has developed, and continues to develop, materials for use on television and in newspapers. As a result of this media coverage, groups in the process of establishing NGOs (which are a recent phenomenon in Gabon) have consulted WWF for advice on defining their roles, focusing their activities, and coordinating with other environmental bodies.

Activity Objectives:

1. To continue producing a cartoon book for secondary schools on a quarterly basis; environmental clubs will be formed using this publication as a focal point.

2. To begin conception of a second workbook for primary schools.

3. To continue producing television documentaries to be broadcast on the national television station.

4. To coordinate and assist the production of a monthly "Environment Page" in the national newspaper.

5. To continue working with environmental NGOs and associations to better define their activities and role in society.

6. To finance and provide technical support to selected activities.

7. To organize a group meeting of all local NGOs and associations.

Activity Methods:

Communications; Education.

Activity Species:

African elephant (Loxodonta africana); Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).

GA0005 Gabon: WWF Programme Office, Gabon

Project Summary:

The WWF Gabon Programme Office, established in 1991, is responsible for project development and coordination within the context of the Gabon Country Programme. By opening an office, WWF Gabon can better coordinate activities within the country, working with various partners to identify, plan, and implement conservation projects.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 70Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 10 EE & Capacity Building 15
Oceans and Coasts 20 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 15
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 10
Treaties & Legislation 10
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Gabon is a WWF focal country on account of its high degree of biodiversity. Factors such as a small human population, high per capita Gross National Product, and expanses of intact primary forest make it an ideal country for conservation initiatives. The WWF Gabon Programme Office, established in 1991, is primarily responsible for developing projects, acting as a liaison between government agencies, the private sector and international aid agencies, and providing technical and logistical support to the Department of Wildlife and Hunting.

Project Objectives:

1. To establish the WWF Gabon Programme Office.

2. To coordinate the Gabon Country Programme.

3. To serve as a contact point for private and public sector entities interested in conservation issues.

4. To provide technical and financial support to the Ministry of Water and Forests and more particularly the Department of Wildlife and Hunting.

GA0005.1: WWF Programme Office, Gabon (Apr. 91 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

1. To provide logistical, technical, and administrative support to field projects.

2. To develop new projects.

3. To coordinate activities among various donors and project participants.

4. To serve as the contact point for conservation groups and individuals residing outside Gabon.

5. To provide technical and logistical support to the Department of Wildlife and Hunting.

Activity Methods:

Communications; Institutional Support and Development; Lobbying; Programme / Project Development.

Activity Species:

African elephant (Loxodonta africana).

GA0006 Gabon: Support for the Gabonese Wildlife Department

Project Summary:

Timber exploitation to boost the country's economy is increasingly threatening Gabon's tropical moist forests. This project provides support to the Gabonese Wildlife and Hunting Department to promote conservation issues.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 100

Project Background:

Gabon has tremendous potential for conservation of intact tropical forest ecosystems due to its low human population density, relative affluence (principally from off­shore oil), and few access routes to the interior. These features combined provide natural protection to large areas of primary tropical forest. Forests occupy 85% of the country's territory, of which it is estimated that 32% remains undisturbed.

Falling oil prices hold dramatic consequences for Gabon's economy - a fall in oil revenues of 50% can halve the national budget - so pressure is now increasing to boost other sectors of the economy, with timber becoming particularly important. As a result of this loss of revenue, support for conservation has suffered more than other sectors. This has been most acutely felt by government-supported conservation projects, which in the past have not had to rely on international funding. This project provides much needed support to the Gabonese Wildlife and Hunting Department in an effort to conserve Gabon's tropical moist forest.

Project Objectives:

1. To provide urgently required outside support to keep the government's attention focused on conservation issues.

2. To enable the Wildlife and Hunting Department to continue to expand its activities, and gain flexibility to respond to specific conservation needs.

GA0006.1: Support for the Gabonese Wildlife and HuntingDepartment (Dec. 87 - Jun. 97)

Activity Background:

Field staff at the Lopé Reserve in central Gabon, site of a current WWF-supported gorilla and chimpanzee project, will receive material support in the form of equipment. The Lopé Reserve is the largest in the country, and the last to retain extensive areas of primary forest. The reserve has been identified for possible selective timber harvesting. WWF support for government conservation activities in the reserve will send a strong signal to the government regarding the importance of the Lopé Reserve as an undisturbed tropical forest sanctuary.

Activity Objectives:

1. To continue vital patrolling of the reserve and surrounding area.

2. To provide material support in the form of basic equipment, including boots, tents, backpacks, canteens, binoculars, compasses, etc., to the department to ensure that protected area management activities continue.

Activity Biome

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Institutional Support and Development.

Activity Species:

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes); Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla).

GA0007 Gabon: Conservation Support to the Gamba Protected Area Complex

Project Summary:

View Map

The Gamba Protected Area Complex includes rich biological diversity in terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems. This project seeks to safeguard these original and representative ecosystems and maintain biodiversity in harmony with sustainable utilization. Aconservation management plan will be designed and implemented, addressing issues such as rural development, zoning, regulations, management, education and public awareness, training, research, and monitoring.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 80Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 10 EE & Capacity Building 10
Oceans and Coasts 10 Protected Areas 60
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 20
Treaties & Legislation 10
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

WWF began its activities in Gabon in 1986 with a countrywide evaluation of problems, potential, and needs for those institutions responsible for managing the country's natural resource base. This study included preliminary recommendations for the Gamba region. Subsequently, WWF established a Programme Office and recruited a Representative in Libreville in 1991. The Programme Office continued the evaluation and planning process which culminated in an integrated Country Plan up to the year 2000. The plan emphasized the theme of "conservation before the crisis", highlighting the remarkable opportunities presented by Gabon compared to many other West and Central African countries where forests have already been reduced to relatively small pockets, or where political instability significantly impedes effective conservation.

The Gamba Protected Area Complex is a priority project in the WWF Gabon Programme and WWF sees this project as part of a long-term involvment in conservation in the area. The Gamba Programme is an integrated conservation and development project and incorporates all three of the approaches in WWF's mission: preserving genetic, species and ecosystem diversity; ensuring sustainable use of natural resources; and the promotion of actions to reduce pollution and wasteful exploitation of resources. The programme aims to ensure that the rich biological diversity in the terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems of the Gamba Protected Area Complex is conserved.

Project Objectives:

1. To clearly define management zones within the complex.

2. To refine and strengthen internal regulations in accordance with the proposed zoning.

3. To establish management and protection systems.

4. To define and initiate applied management-oriented research.

5. To design and institutionalize an environmental education and public awareness programme.

6. To promote rural development alternatives that contribute to the conservation of the Gamba Protected Area Complex.

GA0007.1: Conservation Support to the Gamba Protected Area Complex (Aug. 90 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

View Map

The Petit Loango Reserve is where most of WWF's recent activities have been focused. A team of Forest and Water Ministry agents is based at the reserve headquarters. A WWF project executant arrived in January 1994 to begin work in collaboration with these agents. The basic infrastructure has been completed, consisting of four houses and an office building.

Activity Objectives:

1. To work with Ministry of Forests and Water personnel to begin conservation and inventory activities in the Petit Loango Reserve and surrounding lands.

2. To continue to develop the infrastructure both at reserve headquarters and within the reserve; to include building a boat dock, storage facilities, housing for workers and visitors, and a communal kitchen for headquarters personnel; to renovate camps located within the reserve; and to study the possible use of alternative energy sources.

3. To provide technical and logistical support to personnel based at reserve headquarters.

4. To recruit and train the project leader.

5. To develop and implement a training plan for reserve personnel.

6. To participate in developing an integrated conservation and development plan for the complex.

Activity Biomes:

Littoral Zones; Mangrove; Marshes/Swamps; Tropical Grasslands and Savannas; Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Community Conservation; Ecotourism Development; Protected Area Management.

Activity Species:

African elephant (Loxodonta africana); Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla); Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea); West african manatee (Trichechus senegalensis).

GA0012 Gabon: The Impact of Elephants and other Wildlife on Agriculture in Gabon

Project Summary:

This project aims to address the problem of crop­raiding fauna, in particular elephants, through extensive research of the problem, with the aim of devising control methods.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 0
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 100
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Crop­raiding by elephants and other fauna is a major problem in rural Gabon. Earlier in this century, when rural communities were scattered throughout the forest, the destruction of fields by elephants was severe. Today, wildlife continues to raid village fields, particularly during the night. It is very difficult to provide alternative protection for fields given that they are temporary (2 to 3 years), and are often located several kilometres from a village. Elephants can devastate fields in minutes, destroying months of work and future food supplies. Only by fully understanding the problem can lasting solutions be found.

Project Objectives:

1. To develop the capacity of the Department of Wildlife and Hunting to monitor, assess, and respond to crop damage problems.

2. To better understand the phenomenon of crop-raiding from the point of view of the people most directly affected.

3. To determine if other species of wildlife are affecting agricultural activity in Gabon.

4. To investigate traditional and new methods of deterring crop-raiders.

5. To find and test solutions to the problem of crop-raiding using an adaptive management approach.

GA0012.1: The Impact of Elephants and other Wildlife on Agriculture in Gabon (Jul. 93 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

Since the establishment of the WWF Country Office in Gabon, a problem often cited by government officials, as well as villagers, is the destruction caused to fields by elephants and other wildlife. Recognizing the severity of the problem, WWF and the Department of Wildlife and Hunting are working in collaboration to devise appropriate methods of deterrence at the village level.

Activity Objectives:

1. To survey crop-raiding problems in all nine provinces.

2. To identify severe problem areas and begin testing various techniques of deterrence.

3. To train Wildlife and Hunting Department personnel in methods of assessing and controlling wildlife damage, as well as establishing a collaborative relationship with villagers.

4. To work with the Ministries of Agriculture and Public Education to improve agricultural systems, thereby limiting the impact of elephants on fields.

5. To initiate regional discussion on how problems in neighbouring countries (e.g. poaching) may be affecting Gabon's elephant population.

Activity Methods:

Natural Resource Economics.

Activity Species:

African elephant (Loxodonta africana).

GA0012.2: Monitoring and Mitigating the Impact of Elephants and Wildlife on Agric. in Gab. (Mar. 95 - Aug. 96)

Activity Background:

A nationwide survey identified major crop-raiding species in rural Gabon and gave early indications on spatial and temporal aspects of crop-raiding by elephants throughout the country. The study now focuses on Moukalaba region, where over 200 fields are monitored. The level of crop-raiding is quantified, as well as its impact on household economy, while methods of deterrence are developed using tests, trials, and experiments.

Activity Objectives:

1. To reduce the conflict between man and mammals, thereby protecting important species such as the African elephant while contributing to the food security of rural communities.

2. To work with the Ministries of Water and Forests, Posts, Telecommunication, and the Environment; Communication, Culture, Popular Education and Human Rights; and Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Rural Development, to improve agricultural systems to limit the impact of elephants and other wildlife on village fields. The concept of sustainable forest management should guide changes in agriculutural systems, and innnovative solutions are likely to come through interdisciplinary approaches.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Species Management.

Activity Species:

African elephant (Loxodonta africana); Forest elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis).

GA0013 Gabon: GEF Wildlife Trade and Conservation Project

Project Summary:

The goal of this project is to create a mechanism to sustainably manage wildlife trade in Gabon and to reinforce government and local community capacity to ensure long­term sustainable management and conservation of biodiversity.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 20
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 50
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 15
Treaties & Legislation 15
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

In 1992 WWF was asked by UNDP to participate in the preparation of a preliminary GEF proposal for Gabon, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic. The original proposal was to create a regional office responsible for overseeing all issues related to trade in both fauna and flora, but the scope of this proposal was found to be too wide. The proposal has been redrafted and this project now concentrates solely on regulating trade in fauna within Gabon, with the possibility of replicating the project in other Central African countries at a later date. The project document was officially signed by the government of Gabon and UNDP in July 1994.

Project Objectives:

1. To improve knowledge and implementation of national legislation and international treaties through training of personnel.

2. To secure amendments to national legislation on management and trade of wildlife, to incorporate the socio­economic reality in Gabon and CITES requirements.

3. To develop a framework for long­term monitoring of wildlife use and trade, and its impact on biological diversity.

4. To develop strategies to implement legislation and management polices on wildlife trade, and link these with biological diversity conservation.

5. To institutionalize long­term maintenance of the directorate charged with wildlife conservation and management and the continuation of monitoring activities.

GA0013.1: GEF Wildlife Trade and Conservation Project (Jul. 95- Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

This project will create the structures needed to better regulate wildlife trade, as well as bolster the ability of the Gabonese to manage their natural resources sustainably. To start a dialogue, the WWF Gabon Programme Office, in its role as implementing agent, will recruit personnel and plan sessions with the different groups involved in the project.

Activity Objectives:

1. To employ a project coordinator, administrator, and other personnel as required.

2. To organize a meeting to share information with other groups affected by the project.

3. To train personnel in order to improve knowledge and the implementation of national legislation and international treaties.

4. To adapt national legislation on management and trade of wildlife to the socio­economic reality in Gabon and to CITES requirements.

5. To devise methodologies for monitoring exploitation of, and commerce in, wildlife by both rural communities and official authorities and to develop a system to regulate changes in wildlife populations.

6. To develop strategies to implement legislation and management policies on wildlife trade, and link these with biological diversity conservation.

7. To institutionalize long­term maintenance of the directorate charged with wildlife conservation and management and the continuation of monitoring activities.

Activity Methods:

Institutional Support and Development; Research and Monitoring; Training; Treaties; Wildlife Trade Monitoring.

Activity Species:

Lion (Panthera leo); African elephant (Loxodonta africana); Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla); Giant armadillo (Priodontes giganteus); West african manatee (Trichechus senegalensis); Sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus): Bushpig (Potamochoerus porcus); Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius); Nubian bustard (Neotis nuba); Giant pangolin (Manis gigantea); Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx); West african chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus); Bongo (Tragelaphus euryceros).

(Concept) GA0014 Gabon: Institutional Support and Training for the Department of Wildlife and Hunting

Project Summary:

The goal of this project is to improve the institutional capacity of the Department of Wildlife and Hunting (known in French as the "Direction de la Faune et de la Chasse", or DFC) and its brigades to manage Gabon's wildlife. Financial support will be provided to ensure the Department's ability to respond to unexpected costs deemed urgent. Technical support will be multifaceted and include goal and objective setting, how to prepare project funding proposals, training, and lobbying techniques.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 100
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100
Sustainable Resource Use 0 Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Since 1987, WWF Gabon has provided technical and administrative support to the Department of Wildlife and Hunting (Direction de la Faune et de la Chasse, or DFC) under the auspices of project GA0009 and later GA0005.03. Technical assistance has been a key element but it has been more reactive than proactive. WWF has also been supporting a portion of the actual operating costs of the DFC.

To enable DFC to operate autonomously, the WWF Gabon Programme would like to diminish monetary support and concentrate on furnishing a more comprehensive and organized package of technical support. Proposed technical support will be multifaceted and include: (a) identifying or developing pertinent training activities; (b) assisting in identifying realistic goals and objectives for the Department; (c) training future Department agents through the participation of students of the Ecole Nationale des Eaux et Forêts in WWF projects; (d) improving the ability of the Department to develop project proposals for funding by external and internal agencies; and (e) developing a strategy and training Department agents in lobbying methods directed at the media and government.

In January 1995, the WWF Gabon Programme was approached by the European Union (EU) who expressed interest in funding such an initiative. A proposal has been completed in collaboration with the DFC and is being reviewed by WWF International before its official submission to the EU.

Project Objectives:

1. To provide technical assistance to the DFC.

2. To develop a clear policy base, specifically with regard to the application of conservation legislation and international treaties.

3. To procure basic equipment and ensure its maintenance in order to improve the DFC's capacity to effectively manage Gabon's wildlife resources.

4. To train future DFC agents in "new" conservation techniques by associating students of the Ecole Nationale des Eaux et Forêts in field missions and WWF projects.

5. To improve proposal-development skills and lobbying abilities to aid in contacts with the media, external funding agencies, and the Gabonese government.

GA0014.1: Institutional Support and Training for the Direction de la Faune et de la Chasse (Jan. 96 - Dec. 97)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Activity Methods:

Institutional Support and Development.