Forests are at the heart of sustainable economic development. On the occasion of this year’s International Day of Forests, FAO Brussels spoke with Professor Jean-Louis Doucet, author of the recently published book “Trees of Central Africa (Volume I)”, a landmark publication that provides a detailed insight of Central Africa’s rich forest ecosystems. In this interview, we explore the origins of the project, the importance of international scientific cooperation, and the essential role that forests play in today’s global economies.
First of all, a happy International Day of Forests, and our warm congratulations on the launch of the first volume of the impressive work “Trees of Central Africa”. Could you tell us more about this book?
Professor Jean-Louis Doucet: “Thank you for inviting me to present our book. I also wish all of you a very happy International Day of Forests! We celebrate it every year at our university by organising the “Forest Day”. This year’s theme is about the role of wood from the forests to our homes, and we will take the opportunity to present our book as well.
Coedited by Gembloux AgroBio Tech (University of Liège), Nature+ ASBL, and the Meise Botanic Garden, this publication aims to support the sustainable management of Central African forests. The result of a longstanding collaboration between specialists from the South and the North, it is specifically intended for field actors, staff of forestry companies, training and research centres, as well as local communities.
Such a book was needed because, despite the existence of several reference works on the flora of the region, none offered a perspective that is at once accessible to field actors, comprehensive, and richly illustrated on the diversity of Central African trees. The first volume, Trees of Central Africa: Families A to F, describes and illustrates all tree species reaching at least 10 cm in diameter and living in lowland and submontane forests. It enables the identification of 863 tree species belonging to 39 botanical families, based on morphological criteria that can be directly observed in the field. It also presents their distribution ranges, habitats, interactions with fauna, fruiting periods, industrial and traditional uses, and conservation status, all richly illustrated with more than 4,000 colour photographs.”
You mentioned that North-South cooperation was a central element in developing this book. How important is such cooperation in the broader context of global forest conservation and sustainability?
Professor Jean-Louis Doucet: “Our work was funded by the Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC) through the Programme for the Promotion of Certified Forest Exploitation (PPECF), supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank. It involved numerous contributors from Gembloux AgroBio Tech, the University of Yaoundé I, Nature+, the Meise Botanic Garden, the National Herbarium of Gabon, the Missouri Botanical Garden, ERAIFT, ULB, the BRLU Herbarium, IRET, IPHAMETRA, and Tropic Forest.
Each author contributed according to their strengths, from taxonomy to in-depth field knowledge. Everyone learned from each other: taking high-quality photographs, identifying distinguishing characteristics between similar species, designing attractive infographics, or locating rare species hidden in the most remote forests.
Collaboration also means confronting different perspectives. For example, several European Union countries propose listing certain tree species in CITES Appendix II, which makes their export more restrictive. To avoid including non-threatened species, it is essential to have solid knowledge on species identification, ecology, and vulnerability. This book seeks to provide that knowledge by proposing conservation statuses (IUCN and HVC) that reflect the viewpoints of different stakeholders. Resulting management norms also take into account local uses and species’ reproductive capacities, including suggestions for harmonised minimum logging diameters at the regional level.
Making information accessible to all, regardless of their country of residence, is essential. This is why the University of Liège wants all its publications to be accessible to researchers without expensive subscriptions. Our institutional repository offers all our publications free of charge. The book can therefore be downloaded via the following link: https://hdl.handle.net/2268/340142.
As it was produced with public funding, it was important to us that copies be made available free of charge to field actors. Thus, 2,000 copies have been printed and are being distributed across Europe and Africa. The distribution in Central Africa is carried out with the support of ATIBT and national research institutes”.
The theme of the 2026 International Day of Forests is “Forests and Economies”. What role do you see forests playing in today’s global economies and in the future?
Professor Jean-Louis Doucet: “Our book benefited from logistical support from several certified forestry companies, including PalliscoCIFM, PWGCEB, ALPICAMGRUMCAM, and CIB-Olam Agri. These companies have unique databases that make it easier to locate species to be photographed. Beyond this very practical support, these companies play a crucial role in forest conservation. By controlling access to their concessions, they protect them from the two main threats: agriculture and poaching.
In a globalised economy, forests will only be conserved if they are recognised as having value. Wood is, in this context, an extraordinary resource. Once transformed, it retains the carbon accumulated over decades or centuries, whereas other materials are net sources of carbon emissions. When legal, this highly selective logging (one to two trees per hectare every 25 years) has very limited impact on forest structure and biodiversity. It is therefore complementary to protected area networks. In my view, continuing to harvest wood sustainably is one of the best ways to preserve forests.
Some argue that carbon markets or payments for environmental services could be alternatives to logging. I remain sceptical, as, despite frequent discussions in major international meetings, there are still few concrete achievements on the ground.
I am therefore convinced that transdisciplinary collaboration bringing together actors from the South and the North, from the public and private sectors, associations, research institutes, and training centres is essential to propose sustainable management models inspired by field realities.
Supporting and promoting certified forest management is indispensable. Closing European markets to tropical timber would be a monumental mistake. Counterproductive, it harms the image of a noble and unique material. So, on this International Day of Forests, let us unite our efforts to support companies committed to responsible forest management and to provide credible financial solutions for preserving unique forest landscapes”.
Professor Jean-Louis Doucet can be contacted at jldoucet@uliege.be and through social media:
Forest is Life / Gembloux AgroBio Tech / University of Liège
- Instagram: @foresterie tropicale
- Facebook: @foretrop
- LinkedIn: @FORIL_Uliege
The publication is available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2268/340142
Read more about the International Day of Forests here.
