The Tropical Forest Trust (TFT) manages a unique project of participatory resource and cultural mapping covering over 1.3 million hectares of forest in the Republic of Congo, which are home to around 9,000 indigenous forest people.  The forests are managed for sustainable timber production by Congolaise Industrielle des Bois (CIB), under a concession agreement with the Congolese Government.

Historically, indigenous forest people have been excluded from decision-making and development processes resulting in political and economic disenfranchisement.  The project’s objectives are to move CIB’s operations towards sustainability and respect and include indigenous people in CIB’s forest management plans.  These objectives conform to FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Principles and Criteria stipulating the genuine and intimate inclusion of indigenous people in sustainable forest management plans.

This initiative is an example of how, guided by FSC principles, indigenous peoples, the State, local NGOs, academics and private enterprise have worked together to formalize the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights and at the same time establish a meaningful consultative process with regards to forest management. The initiative ensures participation of men and women and all key groups from the start.  The practice is being replicated in Cameroon where an additional benefit has been the use of maps by the government to monitor observance of logging concession boundaries.