Laws governing Forest, Wildlife and Aquatic Ecosystems

by Luc Mathot
Laws governing Forest, Wildlife and Aquatic Ecosystems
A group photo of the participants.
A group photo of the participants.

In line with its activities on supporting the implementation of the Wildlife Act and the fight against illegal logging, was held onWednesday, January 28, 2015, a training seminar for the gendarmes assigned to brigades in Franceville. This working session chaired by the President of the Court of Franceville took place in the Provincial Directorate of the meeting room of the Water and Forests and the theme “The laws governing Forest, Wildlife and Aquatic Ecosystems.”

Organized by the Provincial Directorate of Forestry and Conservation Justice, the workshop aimed to give participants the necessary basics for a better understanding of  ivory trafficking and illegal logging. Also, the objectives were to build capacity training for the protection of wildlife and the forest, know and master the criminal proceedings, inform the agents benefit from these themes that constitute the State’s priorities but also communities and create a dynamic network to share experiences.

This session focused on four active interventions of the participants. The NGO Conservation Justice opened the session by emphasizing the specificity of the ivory trade, panther skins and apes from Central Africa to other continents. Then, the Registrar of Batéké Plateaux Park introduced the legislation governing national parks offenses before the head office of the Wildlife Provincial Directorate of Water and Forests  recalled the legislation on wildlife protection and wild plants. The President of the Tribunal, Madame Frédérique BITAR presented to agents the procedure applicable to offenses of Forestry.

Finally, the process of questions and answers was initiated before the session closed.

It is hoped that such exchanges and training will yield concrete results in the fight against trafficking of ivory but also of wood. The legislation is quite low but strict with the involvement of all parties would have to curb these phenomena which are costly to the state and threatening the heritage and Gabon ecological balance.