News
Top10 New Species AWARD 2011 - New duiker species discovered within one of our projects in Benin
Our permanent staff Jan de Winter and his colleagues have been awarded by the International Institute for Species Exploration with the Top10 New Species Award 2011 for the discovery of the remarkable Philantomba walteri.
In collaboration with the Beninese Forestry Department DFS implemented the AfDB funded “Projet d’Aménagement des Massifs Forestier d’Agoua, des Monts Kouffe et de Wari-Maro” in Benin (03/2002 – 09/2007). Within this project with Jan de Winter as Chief Technical Advisor, a team of scientists under Marc Colyn discovered a new duiker species (Bovidae: Cephalophinae) from the Dahomey Gap, West Africa.
The Walter's Duiker (Philantomba walteri) was first encountered at a bushmeat market. As stated by the International Institute for Species Exploration, it is a surprising find because, “The discovery of a new species from a well-studied group of animals in the context of bush meat exploitation is a sobering reminder of the mammalian species that remain to be described, even within those that are being exploited on a daily basis for food or ritual activities.” The taxonomic description of Philantomba walteri should facilitate research into its ecology and behaviour, as well as its conservation.
Publication Discovery of a new duiker species (Bovidae: Cephalophinae) from the Dahomey Gap, West Africa available at ZOOTAXA (Zootaxa 2637: 1–30 (6 Oct. 2010) 10 plates; 30 references). For preview please click here.
Gambia’s Community Forest Policy received the Silver Awards
Rwanda’s National Forest Policy was proclaimed the winner of the 2011 Future Policy Award. The Gambia’s Community Forest Policy and the US Lacey Act with its amendment of 2008 received the Silver Awards. The three winning policies which most effectively contribute to the conservation and sustainable development of forests for the benefit of current and future generations were announced on 21 September 2011 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Further information:
- New York, 21 September 2011 - Future Policy Award crowns world’s best forest policies
- New York / Montreal / Hamburg / Rome, 5 July 2011 – Forest Policies from six countries shortlisted for Future Policy Award
- For further information on the Central River Division Forestry Project in The Gambia watch this movie: "Saving The Gambian Forests Through Participatory Forest Management" (2004).
The Gambia: Community Forest Policy, initiated in 1995
The Gambian model of community forest management is an innovative success. It aims to achieve sustainable forest management and poverty alleviation by handing control of forests to the communities that use them. Despite being one of the world's poorest countries with a rapidly growing population, Gambia has managed to buck a strong deforestation trend in the Western and Central African region by showing a net increase in forest cover of 8.5% over the last two decades. Using a phased approach, the policy includes a far reaching tenure transition of forest land from state ownership to permanent ownership by communities (which currently stands at 12% of forest lands). The policy has also achieved a reduction in illegal logging and the incidence of forest fires in community forest areas as well as contributing to the development of new markets for branch wood and other forest products which benefit women and rural populations economically.