The Commission of Central African Forests (COMIFAC) has given its non-objection to partly fund the first year of implementation of this project.

Some elements to address Motion 65 in Congo Basin have been included in the project document, and the HCV Congo Basin roadmap will officially be launched in the first quarter of 2016.

In practice, the aim of the project is to provide those involved in forest management in Congo Basin, and particularly FSC certificate-holders or timber companies engaged in an FSC certification process, with a Regional HCV Guideline for Congo Basin and National HCV Interpretations for Definition, Identification, Monitoring and Management of High Conservation Values (including IFL) in Congo Basin.

More specifically, the roadmap, when completed, will aim to meet five specific objectives:

  • A “Regional HCV Guideline for Congo Basin” to define, identify, monitor and manage HCVs (including IFL) in Congo Basin, in accordance with stakeholders;
  • Using this “Regional HCV Guideline”, “National HCV Interpretation” will be developed per country (Cameroon, DRC, Gabon, Republic of Congo and CAR if possible) for HCV Management and Monitoring for the 6 HCV categories. Each “National HCV Interpretation” will provide maps of HCVs identified;
  • Field-testing the “National HCV Interpretation” by Certification Body (CB) with a part of HCV-National Working Group and experts;
  • Submit for approval to Policy and Standards Committee (PSC) then to the FSC Board of Directors:
  • - the final draft of each “National HCV Interpretation”;
  • - the final version of the Regional Guideline for Congo Basin possibly amended thanks to field-tests results,.
  • Annex each approved “National HCV Interpretation” (Final product) to each corresponding NFSSs.