African impact
Forest Management Certification grew by 18% to 11.2 million hectares
What changed
Africa advanced certification growth, government engagement, and innovative solutions to climate and biodiversity challenges.
2025 highlights
Certification growth in the Congo Basin
In Gabon, FSC partnered with the National Park Agency to facilitate certification of the country’s protected areas. In April 2025, 256,683 hectares in the provinces of Ogooué Lolo and Haut Ogooué were certified under a new holder, Exploitation Gabonaise de Grumes, to increase the total area of FSC certified forests from 2.2 million to more than 2.4 million hectares.
Partnerships and projects in Ethiopia and Tanzania supported certification, responsible management, and conservation of forests and biodiversity.
Government engagement and finance for forests
At the second Africa Climate Week in Addis Ababa, FSC and partners soft launched the Zámba Heritage initiative, a platform to secure the continent’s forests as a global climate and biodiversity lifeline through African leadership, land restoration, and innovative financing.
Innovative climate solutions
FSC launched Jihami (to prepare oneself in Swahili), a climate-themed chess game developed with YMCA, to engage Africa’s youth in climate and biodiversity solutions through strategy and play.
Why it matters
The African continent is home to 15% of the world’s forests. Spanning 637 million hectares, Africa’s forests form a vital ecological and economic backbone for the continent, supporting vast biodiversity, regulating regional climates, and underpinning the livelihoods of millions of Indigenous Peoples and communities. Strengthening responsible forest management with partners across the continent is essential to protect these ecosystems for future generations and build long-term climate resilience.
Read about how we strengthened our systems and delivered impact in forests, in markets, and in communities : FSC Annual Report 2025 | fsc.org