Republic of Congo approves IFO forest management plan

Government officials, NGOs and representatives of the local population have agreed to the forest management plan.

The plan was drawn up for the 1.16-million-hectare (2.9 million-acre) IFO forest concession in the Republic of Congo in cooperation with Forêt Ressources Management (FRM).

The plan is one of the most important prerequisites for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification of the forest concession.

Danzer Group, one the world’s leading manufacturers of hardwood veneers and lumber, is working to achieve FSC certification by cooperating with the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF). The company has also joined the environmental organization’s Global Forest and Trade Network (GFTN).

“Danzer Group is one of the pioneers of sustainable, legal and socially responsible forest management in Africa’s Congo Basin,” said Olof von Gagern, CEO Africa Danzer Group. IFO has the largest single concession in Africa with an approved forest management plan.

The forest management plan contains measures for responsible and sustainable forest utilization and also takes into account the rights and needs of the local population.

Among other things, the IFO forest management plan contains a detailed inventory of approximately 300 tree species and of the entire timber resources as well as of the large mammals and of the non-timber products found in the concession.

IFO established a foundation for social projects and a committee for regular consultation with the concession’s inhabitants. Danzer Group, the parent company of IFO, has invested approximately 2 million euros to develop the forest management plan.

The project was started in 2001 and involved up to 80 IFO and Danzer Group employees. IFO has developed the management plan supported by the consulting firm Forêt Ressources Management (FRM) and in cooperation with the Ministry of Forests. In addition, the environmental organization Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the research institution CIRAD-Forêt contributed to the development. The forest management plan is valid for 30 years.

With the forest management plan approved, IFO continues the preparation of its concession for FSC certification. The required audit is scheduled to be conducted this year. Since 2006, the IFO forest concession is already certified according to the FSC Controlled Wood standard.

Danzer Group is cooperating closely with the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) in preparing the concession for FSC certification.

Danzer Group operates six veneer factories and five sawmills in Europe, North America and Africa, making it the world’s largest manufacturer of hardwood veneers.

These facilities primarily process regional timber to produce high-quality veneers and lumber. A total of 30 sales outlets worldwide take care of customer needs. Danzer Group employs a workforce of some 4,700 staff and posted a turnover of approximately 420 million euros in 2006.