CAWHFI component
financed by the European Commission (2016-2020)
Between 2016 and 2020, funding from the European Commission enabled CAWHFI to strengthen the monitoring of the TRIDOM and TNS landscapes, an area of more than 225,000 km2, by increasing anti-poaching patrol efforts (more than 3,500 patrols and 300,000km travelled), the use of innovative technologies (SMART, trap cameras, drones and remote sensing, etc.) and the training of more than 350 eco-guards.
CAWHFI's support has also improved site management through the rehabilitation of infrastructure, the promotion of eco-tourism, the involvement and training of local communities (more than 3000 people) and the updating/production of wildlife inventories (e.g. elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees). In addition, CAWHFI provided technical support to the Congolese and Gabonese authorities for the preparation of nomination dossiers for Odzala-Kokoua and Ivindo National Parks, respectively.
Objectives and Results
![](https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-971-3.jpg)
Objective 1
Promote the World Heritage Convention
- Around 500 stakeholders (central and decentralized administrations, NGOs, private sector, communities) were made aware of the World Heritage Convention
- Support to States Parties in the preparation of state of conservation reports, monitoring of sites and Decisions of the World Heritage Committee
- Support to States Parties in the preparation of 2 files for the nomination of new World Heritage sites (Odzala-Kokoua National Park in Congo and Ivindo National Park in Gabon)
![](https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-971-4.jpg)
Objective 2
Strengthen surveillance activities and site management
- More than 3,500 surveillance patrols (> 300,000 km) were carried out thanks to patrol efforts and the use of innovative technologies (photographic cameras, drones and remote sensing)
- 550 weapons, 350 ivory points, 16,000 munitions, 530 arrests made / seized
- 600 people trained including more than 350 eco-guards
- Support and capacity-building for the application of new methods of resource management (SMART, EoH)
- Rehabilitation of the Lope National Park (Gabon) ecomuseum
![](https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-971-5.jpg)
Objective 3
Reduce the net loss of biodiversity
- Assessment of the potential impacts of economic development projects: SUDCAM Hévéa agro-industrial activities and Mekin dam
- Creation and updating of inventories of biological resources (e.g. elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees)
![](https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-971-6.jpg)
Objective 4
Communication & visibility
- Strengthening of consultation frameworks at local level (e.g. Stakeholder fora)
- More than 1000 members of local communities made aware of themes related to hunting, right of use, wildlife laws ...
- Exchange of information between the sites concerned by the project
- More than 1,500 young people were made aware of the importance of conservation
- DVD launch “Patrimonito at Dja”
Attainment of the objectives has notably been possible thanks to the successful collaboration between the technical partners of this component (AWF, ANPN, FTNS, WCS, WWF, ZSL) and to the success of consultations between the stakeholders (national and local authorities, private sector, local populations). It should be noted that the local populations actively participated in the planning and implementation of the activities linked to conservation
Overall coordination was done by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre with the support of the UNESCO Regional Office in Yaoundé.
Technical partners
- African Wildlife Foundation (AWF)
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN)
- Fondation pour le Trinational de la Sangha (FTNS)
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
- London Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
Resources
- Central Africa World Heritage Forest Initiative (CAWHFI)
- Archaeology in the Lopé National Park (Gabon)
- Assessment of the impacts of the activities of the Mekin hydroelectric dam on the outstanding universal value of the Dja Faunal Reserve and definition of adequate corrective or mitigation measures
- Impacts of Sud Cameroun Hévéa agro-industrial activities on the Dja Faunal Reserve World Heritage (Cameroon)
- Feasibility study of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the Odzala-Kokoua National Park (Congo)
- Conservation of biodiversity in the Congo Basin: the World Heritage Forest Initiative (CAWHFI) (2016-2020)
- Patrimonito at Dja, World Heritage Centre, UNESCO, 2018.