Can the production of wild forest foods be sustained in timber concessions? Logging and the availability of edible caterpillars hosted by sapelli (Entandrophragma cylindricum) and tali (Erythrophleum suaveolens) trees in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Sapelli (Entandrophragma cylindricum) and tali (Erythrophleum suaveolens) are among the most important timber species harvested from Congo Basin forests. They also host edible caterpillars, Imbrasia oyemensis and Cirina forda, respectively, which are important to the nutrition and income of rural and urban populations. This study evaluated the density of these tree species within a 10 km radius around each of 4 villages and in the 2012 annual cutting areas of two timber concessions in the region of Kisangani (DRC). Sapelli and tali trees ≥20 cm dbh and their stumps were identified and measured on 21 five ha plots around each village and 20 five ha plots on each concession. Around villages and on concessions, sapelli trees occurred at densities of 0.048 ± 0.008 harvestable trees (≥80 cm dbh) ha −1 and 0.135 ± 0.019 precommercial trees ha −1. Harvestable tali trees (≥60 cm dbh) were seven times more abundant at 0.347 ± 0.032 ha −1, while pre- commercial tali trees occurred at densities of 0.329 ± 0.033 trees ha −1. Between 25% and 40% of the har- vestable sapelli trees had been logged as compared to < 3% of the harvestable tali trees. Production per tree, derived from another study, was extrapolated to estimate caterpillar yields on a half circle of 15,700 ha within 10 km of villages, using these estimates of tree densities. Depending on the village, yields were estimated as 11.6–34.5 Mg year −1 of I. oyemensis from sapelli trees, and 65.8–80.9 Mg year −1 of C. forda from tali trees, an average of 0.74–2.2 kg ha −1 year and 4.2–5.2 kg ha −1 year, fresh weight, respectively (0.23–0.68 kg ha −1 year −1 and 1.3–1.6 kg ha −1 year −1, dry weight, respectively). Harvestable trees yielded more caterpillars, providing most of the C. forda caterpillars. However, because harvestable sapelli trees oc- curred at low densities, the bulk of I. oyemensis caterpillar production would be hosted on precommercial trees. Logging practices that reject poorly formed or hollow trees and guidelines that call for high minimum diameter limits and retention of seed trees or prohibit logging on slopes or riparian zones, safeguard edible caterpillar production. Multiple resource management for multiple stakeholders would require more deliberate planning and management approaches based on negotiations with local communities and approaches like setting aside collection zones or collection trees that would be protected from logging

Trees for Food and Timber: are community interests in conflict with those of timber concessions in the Congo Basin?

Much of the Congo Basin is managed for timber from dozens of species. More than 60% also produce non-timber products, including foods. For five multiple use tree species in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Gabon (Entandrophragma cylindricum, Baillonella toxisperma, Erythrophleum suaveloens, Dacryodes buettneri and Gambeya lacourtiana), we studied gathering and consumption by communities, edible caterpillars hosted, the densities of trees around villages and in concessions and the impacts of timber harvesting . We also studied the consumption of forest foods and the nutritional values of fruits and seeds of various tree species. Villagers walked up to six km during day trips to collect fruits or caterpillars, gathering from concessions if the village was within or near it. When foods were gathered from trees smaller than the cutting diameter (which varied by country and species), there was no conflict with timber harvesting. However, the volume of edible caterpillars hosted increased with diameter and harvestable trees were the most productive. Caterpillars, tree fruits and seeds provide fats, vitamins and minerals that complement agricultural foods. Densities of B. toxisperma, valued for its edible oil, were higher around villages than in concessions. The proportion of commercial trees harvested for timber varied from less than 3% to more than 50%, depending on the species. Different species had different geneflow distances, meaning viable regeneration could be expected with residual adults at different maximum distances. E. cylindricum had more effective dispersal than E. suaveolens. The production of timber and nontimber products can be sustained from the same concessions, for different stakeholders, with appropriate practices and arrangements

Beyond timber: balancing demands for tree resources between concessionaires and villagers

Extensive areas of the Congo Basin forest are allocated to timber concessionaires. These forests also harbour and support village populations, including indigenous Baka people, who depend on forest foods obtained directly from trees (fruits, oils and caterpillars). Most food-producing tree species are harvested by concessionaires for timber. We documented the availability and abundance of three food tree species around four villages and in two neighboring timber concessions in Cameroon. Data was used to determine the importance of timber concessions as sources of food for local people to provide a foundation for governance arrangements that consider local needs for foods from timber trees. Discussions with concessionaires revealed that some of them have voluntarily refrained from extracting timber species of interest to villagers for their nontimber products. This is either to avoid conflict with villagers, or because regulations have been promulgated to safeguard these resources. The interplay between internal village dynamics, regulations and their implementation by forest guards, and the actions of timber concessions create a complex arena for addressing rights to forest resources. This paper provides information on the accessibility and availability of multiple use timber species as a foundation for negotiations and governance arrangements between concessionaires and local communities

GPS inventory of timber trees from which local communities gather food resources in Cameroon, Gabon and the DRC.

This dataset contains the geograpahical coordinates of multiple-use tree species ('spp_lat' and 'spp_long'), which are used by local populations for the collection of food resources, while also commercially felled for timber in Cameroon, Gabon and the DRC ('ctry'). It focusses on Baillonella toxisperma, Entandrophragma cylindricum, Erythrophleum suaveolens, Dacryodes Buettnerii and Gambeya spp('spp'), around 10 villages ('vil', 'vil_lat' and 'vil_long') adjacent to five logging concessions in the three countries. In addition to coordinates there are columns indicating the diameter at breast height ('dbh' - cm), the altitutde ('alt' - m); the gender of the collectors who commonly visit the tree ('ntfp_col', where 'm', 'w' and 'c' indicate men, wo men and children); an indicator of how the production of the food resource at the tree has changed over the last 5 years ('prod_ind'); whether trips to collect resources from the tree are organised or not ('trips' ); other activities in the area around the tree ('agri', 'hunt', 'fish', 'ntfp' and 'other'); and whether the tree is within an adjacent logging concession or allocated agricultural zone ('overlap' and 'agrizone'). 5 male and 5 female informants were selected in each village. They led the researchers (1 male and 1 female) to the trees from which they commonly collected food resources. At each tree the geographical position was taken with a GPS, the dbh was measured and a series of questions concerning the collection, availability and accessibility of food resources from the tree. The points were mapped with polygons indicating logging concessions, indicating the type of land in which they were located (i.e. logging concession, community forest, unclassified forest estate, etc.

The yield of edible caterpillars Imbrasia oyemensis and Cirina forda from timber trees logged on concessions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A contribution to managing tropical forests for multiple resources

Local people in rural areas of the tropics depend on forests for a range of food resources, including protein-rich edible caterpillars, among them Imbrasia oyemensis and Cirina forda, which are important for nutrition and income. Sapelli (Entandrophragma cylindricum), the African mahogany, and Tali (Erythrophleum suaveolens) are food sources for these caterpillars; they are also among the most important timber species harvested from Congo Basin forests. This study quantified the yield of caterpillars from harvestable and precommercial sizes of trees of these two timber species to better understand the impact of logging on the availability of edible caterpillars to local people, and the implications for managing both timber and non-timber resources in industrial timber concessions. Caterpillars were collected and weighed beneath 50 Sapelli trees 23–190 cm DBH and 170 Tali trees 22–174 cm DBH on two timber concessions, from mid-August to mid-September, over two years. Caterpillars were found to descend from the trees during 5 days each year, and quantities varied between years. In both sample years, yields were significantly higher from harvestable trees larger than the minimum cutting diameter than from precommercial trees. Each harvestable Sapelli tree (≥ 80 cm DBH), yielded an average of 11.3 kg fresh weight of I. oyemensis year-1; smaller, precommercial trees yielded 5.4 kg tree−1year−1. Each harvestable Tali tree (≥ 60 cm DBH) yielded an average of 9.1 kg of C. forda year−1, as compared to 5.7 kg tree−1year−1 from precommercial trees. This means that industrial timber harvesting, which removes trees larger than the minimum cutting diameter, has a disproportionate effect on the availability of caterpillars. However, trees below the minimum cutting diameter also yield caterpillars, and may occur at higher densities. Guidelines that limit harvesting on steep slopes or near watercourses, or that call for retaining large trees as seed sources, also safeguard caterpillar yields. However, multiple resource management should consider proactive measures, which could include zoning areas near villages as sources of edible caterpillars, and protecting those trees from logging

Impact of COVID-19 on woodfuel value chains in the DRC: Addressing risks and vulnerabilities of operators and end-users

The COVID-19 pandemic, including the health impacts of the virus itself and measures to contain and mitigate them, has far-reaching impacts on economies, value chains and livelihoods. The pandemic has revealed the extent of vulnerability in our societies to risks and shocks. Indeed, most of these vulnerabilities were triggered or amplified by the crisis or its response

Individuals and stumps of Moabi, Sapelli, Tali, Ozigo and Abam (timber species with food values) recorded around villages and within logged areas of timber concessions in Cameroon, Gabon and the DRC.

This dataset contains individuals of Baillonella toxisperma, Entandrophragma cylindricum, Erythrophleum suaveolens, Dacryodes Buettnerii and Gambeya spp('spp'), around 10 villages ('vil'), and within five logging concessions ('conc') in Cameroon, Gabon and the DRC ('pays'). There are columns indicating the diameter at breast height ('dbh' – cm). To determine the density and abundance of the selected species within the concession and around the villages, trees were identified and sampled on plots. Within the concessions, sample plots were established in the 2012 cutting area. Five plots of 5 ha each were established at random within each of the four quadrants (North, South, East and West) of the 5 000 ha cutting area, for a total of 20 sample plots. To evaluate the density of trees around villages, 21 sample plots of 5 ha each were laid out around each village along three transects extending from the village centre towards the forest concession to a maximum distance of 10 km. The total sample area described a half circle of 157 km2 (15,700 ha). The central transect (“B”) was oriented towards the forest concession and the transects “A” and “C” were laid out at 450 C to each side of it (Figure 2). Sample plots around villages were also stratified among four different distance bands, 1-1.9 km (stratum A), 2-3.9 km (stratum B), 4-6.9 km (stratum C) and 7-10 km (stratum D) from the village centre. To obtain a sampling intensity of 0.5% in each stratum, the number of plots per stratum increased in each band of increasing distance. In both the concession and around villages, sample plots were 100 m x 500 m in size. Around villages, plot boundaries extended 100 m along the transect line and 500 m to one side or the other, alternating. Within each plot, all individuals of target species (dbh ≥ 20 cm) were identified and their diameters at breast height (dbh) measured using diameter tapes. When trees had buttresses, diameters were measured at 50 cm above the buttresses with GPS coordinates recorded at each corner of the sampled plots. Stumps were also sought, identified and measured

GPS inventory of timber trees from which local communities gather food resources in Cameroon, Gabon and the DRC.

This dataset contains the geographical coordinates of multiple-use tree species ('spp_lat' and 'spp_long'), which are used by local populations for the collection of food resources, while also commercially felled for timber in Cameroon, Gabon and the DRC ('ctry'). It focusses on Baillonella toxisperma, Entandrophragma cylindricum, Erythrophleum suaveolens, Dacryodes Buettnerii and Gambeya spp('spp'), around 10 villages ('vil', 'vil_lat' and 'vil_long') adjacent to five logging concessions in the three countries. In addition to coordinates there are columns indicating the diameter at breast height ('dbh' - cm), the altitutde ('alt' - m); the gender of the collectors who commonly visit the tree ('ntfp_col', where 'm', 'w' and 'c' indicate men, women and children); an indicator of how the production of the food resource at the tree has changed over the last 5 years ('prod_ind'); whether trips to collect resources from the tree are organised or not ('trips' ); other activities in the area around the tree ('agri', 'hunt', 'fish', 'ntfp' and 'other'); and whether the tree is within an adjacent logging concession or allocated agricultural zone ('overlap' and 'agrizone'). 5 male and 5 female informants were selected in each village. They led the researchers (1 male and 1 female) to the trees from which they commonly collected food resources. At each tree the geographical position was taken with a GPS, the dbh was measured and a series of questions concerning the collection, availability and accessibility of food resources from the tree. The points were mapped with polygons indicating logging concessions, indicating the type of land in which they were located (i.e. logging concession, community forest, unclassified forest estate, etc.

Conséquences de la COVID-19 sur les chaînes de valeur du bois énergie en RDC: Traiter les risques et les vulnérabilités des opérateurs et des utilisateurs finaux

La pandémie de maladie à coronavirus (COVID-19), particulièrement les conséquences sanitaires du virus en lui-même et les mesures visant à les contenir et à les atténuer, a des répercussions considérables sur les économies, les chaînes de valeur et les moyens de subsistance. Cette pandémie a révélé l’ampleur de la vulnérabilité de nos sociétés aux risques et aux chocs. En effet, la plupart de ces vulnérabilités ont été déclenchées ou amplifiées par la crise ou par les réponses apportées à cette dernière