What is the role for forest certification in improving relationships between logging companies and communities? Lessons from FSC in Cameroon

Abstract

Sous la pression des marchés internationaux, des ONG environnementales et des bailleurs, plusieurs compagnies forestières du bassin du Congo ont opté pour des systèmes de certification volontaire telle que le Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Le FSC encourage une gestion forestière respectueuse de l'environnement, économiquement viable et socialement bénéfique. La dernière composante qui est l'objet de cet article vise à intégrer les populations locales dans la gestion forestière. Nous examinons les plateformes de concertation actives autour de six concessions forestières certifiées au Cameroun et évaluons leur effectivité ainsi que leur légitimité à établir et maintenir des relations positives entre les compagnies forestières et les populations. Les résultats montrent que la certification FSC est déterminante dans l'émergence des plateformes qui sont des mécanismes de collaboration. Dans une certaine mesure, cette collaboration contribue également à diminuer les tensions entre les compagnies forestières et les populations locales et rendre effectif la réglementation forestière. (Résumé d'auteur

Social impacts of the Forest Stewardship Council certification: An assessment in the Congo basin

“…For instance, two or three years are the most common intervals for mandated elections in institutions. Interviewees revealed a tendency in some companies to prefer the maintenance of already qualified and trained representatives, rather than dealing with new members after short time intervals, corroborating the results obtained for Cameroon by Tsanga et al (2014). This could create tensions among people, notably incumbent members and their fellow villagers.…”

“…forest management. The committees' mission is to be a permanent interface between communities and companies, with the participation of the state administration and NGOs when necessary, to collect complaints and arbitrate conflicts, and to identify and manage development projects that could be funded through private or public schemes (Tsanga et al 2014). Although the law calls for local Ministry of Forest and Wildlife staff to implement the forest management committees, in practice the committees almost only exist where logging companies are actively engaged in establishing and maintaining them.…”

Social impacts of the Forest Stewardship Council certification in the Congo basin

“…Companies must strive to increase the institutions' legitimacy, effectiveness and, most importantly, their long-term sustainability (e.g. see Tsanga et al 2014 for Cameroon), but they are testimony to one clear positive change that certification can bring about, again corroborating results in other parts of the world (e.g. Ulybina and Fennell 2013).…”

Recent evolutions of forest concessions status and dynamics in Central Africa

“…The informal sector is likely to provide many more jobs in populated countries such as DRC and Cameroon, according to estimates by Cerutti and Lescuyer (2001): more than 45,000 jobs in Cameroon, up to 25,000 permanent jobs in DRC (Lescuyer et al 2014), and probably many more if nonpermanent jobs are included. One unique trait of jobs in the industrial timber sector is that they are among the rare formal activities available in remote and economically marginalized areas (the forest zones), and target non-skilled people.…”

“…This seems affordable considering the benefits of FSC certification in terms of improved management, legal compliance, and social benefits for the local populations, which have been highlighted in recent studies (Cerutti et al 2016b, Tsanga et al 2014. To give a benchmark figure, the total REDD+ funding committed for the DRC alone was USD 264 million by the end of 2014 (approx.…”