The University of Göttingen in Germany and the University of Dschang in Cameroon announce the firstIUFRO (International Union of Forest Research Organisations) social sciences conference on “African forest-related policy and politics”. This international and inter-disciplinary scientific conference aims to advance cutting edge knowledge on the emergence and evolution of African forest-related policy and politics. The conference will take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 24 to 27 September 2018, with the support of the Commission of Central African Forests (COMIFAC).

The African forest is paradoxical in relation to the tropical forest regions. When the rate of forest degradation due to wood-fuel demand and slash-and-burn small farming rises, the level of deforestation falls below that of South Asia and Latin America. In other words, the utilisation of African forestland resources occurs faster in regions covered by dry and accessible forests while the majority of the rainforests in the Congo basin remains broadly intact. Up to now, African forests from the North Africa Mediterranean region to the southern, eastern, western and central African regions face growing pressure due to forestland conversion, biodiversity loss, livelihood issues, demographic growth, wildfires, above- and underground resources exploitation.

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