WWF's work in Minkebe
WWF Camp in Minkebe
WWF sees Minkébé as a critical habitat for animal populations. Protected by the thick forest, the populations survive at the core of the region, and until recently have been undisturbed by human activity.
WWF works with the government of Gabon, the private sector and communities to adopt land-use practices that ensure the forest and its wildlife can be maintained.
This includes working with the Gabonese government and a Chinese mining company to mitigate the effects of the opening of a mine at the world’s second largest iron-ore deposit near Minkébé National Park.
WWF is assisting the government in managing the landscape by coordinating its efforts with local resource users: logging companies, local communities and small-scale gold miners.
For example, in 2003, WWF brokered an agreement in which a logging concession reduced bushmeat hunting by 90 percent. WWF is working to implement the same model in other concessions in the region.
Sound land-use practices
WWF works with the government of Gabon, the private sector and communities to adopt land-use practices that ensure the forest and its wildlife can be maintained.
Large iron-ore deposit
This includes working with the Gabonese government and a Chinese mining company to mitigate the effects of the opening of a mine at the world’s second largest iron-ore deposit near Minkébé National Park.WWF is assisting the government in managing the landscape by coordinating its efforts with local resource users: logging companies, local communities and small-scale gold miners.
Replicating a successful model
For example, in 2003, WWF brokered an agreement in which a logging concession reduced bushmeat hunting by 90 percent. WWF is working to implement the same model in other concessions in the region.
WWF instructor & students from the "Water & Forests" department in a degraded mangrove forest along the Ivindo river near Minkebé forest, Gabon
A long list of activities
WWF activities in Minkebe include:
- Setting up and maintaining the ecological research program. This records developments in biodiversity and quickly identifies threats;
- Encouraging and helping manage protected areas, in cooperation with the government in Gabon;
- Combating poaching in protected areas with material and technical support for anti poaching squads, who police access roads and rivers;
- Combating poaching in logging concessions through cooperation with logging companies;
- Supporting and technically advising on tightening up legislation related to the use of natural resources;
- Educating and training students at the Water & Forest School;
- Offering education on the importance of nature conservation to the local population.
- Developing and elaborating plans for a cross-border approach, in order to create a network of protected areas across the entire region.
