This report presents the results of a study carried out to assess the carbon pools, ecosystem services and multiple benefits of the mangroves in the Central African countries of Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo (RoC) and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 This report has found that mangrove ecosystems in Central Africa are highly carbon rich. We estimate that undisturbed mangroves contain 1520.2 ± 163.9 tonnes/ha with 982.5 tonnes/ha (or 65 per cent of total) in the below ground component (soils and roots) and 537.7 tonnes/ha (35.0 per cent of total) in the above ground biomass. The lowest total ecosystem carbon of 807.8 ± 235.5 tonnes C/ha (64.1 tonnes C/ha or 7.2 per cent total above ground, and 743.6 tonnes C/ha or 92.8 per cent total below ground) was recorded in heavily exploited sites. Moderately exploited sites recorded total ecosystem carbon of 925.4 ± 137.2 tonnes C/ha (139.6 tonnes C/ha or 14.1 per cent total above ground, and 785.7 tonnes C/ha or 85.9 per cent total below ground). However,

these results should be taken with caution given the relatively low number of samples and the potential variability in the data.

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