Private forest planted in Congo

Forests near cities are often damaged by people collecting firewood

The Republic of Congo has planted its first privately run forest, as part of a regional initiative to develop sustainable, managed forests.

The new forest, just north of the capital, Brazzaville, has been planted with two types of eucalyptus tree - one native and one from Australia.

They attract bees - allowing the owner to use the honey to make a local drink.

The reforestation scheme was agreed at the UN conference on sustainable development in Johannesburg last year.

Six nations in the Congo Basin - Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon - are participating.

Limiting damage

"This is the first experiment of its type in the Congo Basin," Martin Itoua, an official at the forestry ministry's reforestation bureau, told the AFP news agency.

Our objective is to limit the extent of manmade aggression on the natural forests that belong to the state Antoine Moutanda National Reforestation Service director

The project aims to see forested areas near urban centres privatised and protected - avoiding over-use by people looking for firewood.

"Our objective is to limit the extent of manmade aggression on the natural forests that belong to the state," said Antoine Moutanda, director of the forestry ministry's National Reforestation Service.

"Private forests will allow us to provide large conurbations with wood for heating and construction."

Population growth, overgrazing, illegal logging, mining, and civil wars are all thought to have contributed to the destruction of African forest - estimated to have diminished by 10% since the 1980s.

New forests

The newly planted forest near Kintele, just north of Brazzaville, is 59 hectares (145 areas).

It has been planted with a local variety of eucalyptus and an Australian import, AFP reported.

The honey produced by bees visiting the forest will be used to produce "douma", a local honey-based drink which comes in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic forms.

Nursery forests have also been planted in Gambona (in the centre of the country), in Doilisie (in the southern Niari region) and in Pointe-Noire (on the Atlantic coast).