24.09.2024. FSC-certified forests host 2.7 times more gorillas and elephants than non-certified ones. No, it is not wishful thinking, but the outcome of four years of study in the natural tropical forests of Gabon and the Republic of Congo, including in Interholco’s Ngombé forest concession. Comparing animal presence with the aid of harmless camera traps, Joeri Zwerts, PhD researcher at the University of Utrecht, made a discovery that earned him the cover of Nature magazine.
Have you been shopping lately? Almost any nature-based quality product, from milk cartons to car tires, shows a small tree label. It stands for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
What to do when customers care for the well-being of people, planet and climate – all in one? No QR code will ever be able to show the full set of benefits in the wink of an eye.
At Interholco, we have chosen FSC and PAFC (Pan-African Forest Certification) as the most well-known, demanding and respected ones. FSC and PAFC make them ‘see’ that our people enjoy access to essential services – first of all, decent work conditions.
Together, they set clear principles and criteria to safeguard the ecosystem functions of our 1.16 million ha forest concession in the North of the Republic of Congo. Together, they show us how to make a difference for 1,000 workers and 19,000 local inhabitants, including 7,000 Indigenous Peoples living in and from the forest. PAFC even adds a tool to calculate the carbon stocked in a forest.
Now, let’s zoom out a little – not to lose sight of the forest for the tree.
Hang on: could you have spotted a silverback? That is what male adult gorillas are called.
Gorillas have up to ten times the strength of a man and bite twice as hard as a lion. They are gentle and caring to their offspring, maybe because they only give birth to three or four babies – making population growth painfully slow after the Ebola outbreak. Feeding on soft leaves and fruits, they help the forest regenerate by spreading seeds as they roam – each night building a new nest to sleep.
Back to our shopping basket: as consumers, we are swamped with certificates and labels. There is a general distrust in labels: where is proof? Impacts are claimed, where is the real thing? And then, there are multiple labels. In supermarkets as in natural tropical forests, no two labels are the same.
WWF and Joeri’s university colleagues wondered, just how real those impacts are. Wildlife is vulnerable, so if FSC manages to work for wildlife, then the label could be trusted.
Interholco: Why did you choose FSC as a label and why the Congo Basin?
Joeri Zwerts: It’s a question of impact! There are large gorilla populations that still exist and those are going down very quickly. 80% of gorilla habitats are outside protected areas, most of them in logging concessions. PAFC certification would be too young to measure change, so we looked at FSC, which took off in the region more than 10 years ago.
IHC: Who funded your research?
JZ: I never accepted any financial help from FSC, as it would completely take down my story! It’s always a struggle to find money for one’s research. First, I submitted my PhD research proposal for a grant application at Utrecht University. The university panel should be convinced. But still I needed money. WWF had an interest in protecting wildlife and PPECF (KfW) wanted to improve certification in the Congo Basin. They joined in and research took off.
IHC: What did you end up discovering?
JZ: With 1.3 million camera traps to identify animal species, we found flourishing, full wildlife communities in FSC-certified forests. Larger animals, from 10 kg and larger are 2.7 times, way more abundant. They recover more slowly and have fewer young. Their presence is an important indication.
IHC: Were you expecting this outcome or did it come as a surprise?
JZ: Since FSC is generally regarded as being the most stringent forest management scheme that was a good outcome. At the same time, logging opens up the forest which facilitates hunting.
IHC: You must have been contacted by plenty of news outlets. Were journalists surprised, shocked or downright skeptical?
JZ: The press liked it that there was a positive story for once. I am now even an ambassador for FSC Netherlands! They asked a lot of questions around funding. A ‘Follow the money’ NGO checked whether there was bias. I confirmed that I had only accepted to become an FSC ambassador at the end of 2023, when the results had already been proven.
IHC: Is it enough to calculate how many animals still live in a given forest? What else should we keep on our radar?
JZ: Ours was a special comparison. We looked at large scale hunting impacts but our research did not look at how populations behave over time. We always need to think in a critical way. We should monitor on several levels (monitoring is expensive) and investigate to see where there are impacts how those can be mitigated.
IHC: Why does wildlife matter for trees?
JZ: Ecosystems have evolved over millions of years. All species are interconnected. Some animals are herbivores and eat plants. Faster-growing plants that have no stems, for instance. Another impact is, seed dispersal by the animals that keeps an ecosystem in balance. Some tree species are only dispersed by forest elephants! Then you really need elephants. What is also interesting: larger seed species that are only dispersed by large animals have larger wood densities: so the carbon stored by the trees will be higher when those trees are still in the forest. A recent study featured in Nature shows that a forest without elephants stores 7% less carbon. Animal presence is a bonus for the climate!
End of part 1 / to be continued
Gorillas need forest heroes: join us to keep gorillas safe!
Together with WWF, we strive to put ‘Forests Forward’, protecting precious habitats and wildlife with help from the surrounding communities across three Central African countries.
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About Interholco
The valorisation of a natural forest of 1.16 million hectares in the Republic of Congo Brazzaville is our DNA here at INTERHOLCO. As an FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®, FSC® C022952) and PEFC and PAFC certified producer, INTERHOLCO is a well-established player in the trade of its edged boules, sawn timber, glue laminated scantlings, decking boards and more.
We are a leading provider of high-quality wood products ‘Made in Africa’ holding a verified environmental and health performance statement (FDES requirement in France). Our teams carefully manage the supply chain from forest to customer. Our story is fully illustrated by enabling the people living in Ngombe to access better life conditions. We make it possible to design and build a healthy living environment with bio-based, eco-friendly materials, one of the real solutions for the planet and climate. Follow us on LinkedIn
Communication contact Interholco
Tullia Baldassarri Höger von Högersthal
INTERHOLCO AG, Neuhofstr. 25, 6340 Baar, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 (0)41 767 03 82
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