By Daniel Melling

Located on the western edge of Africa’s Congo Basin, Gabon is the second most forested country in the world and a leader in forest conservation, with ambitious national policies that protect carbon-rich rainforests covering almost 90 percent of the country’s land. Key to the country’s success are programs for national parks and sustainable timber – and a commitment to capacity building in local agencies.

CTrees scientists visited Gabon last month for a month-long mission to share measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) approaches based on remote sensing for national forest programs. The mission built on a longstanding collaboration between CTrees CEO Dr. Sassan Saatchi and Dr. Lee White, Gabon's minister for water, forests, the sea, and the environment, and was designed to equip Gabonese experts with the latest tools for measuring carbon stocks and monitoring forest degradation from activities like logging.

The mission involved close collaboration among CTrees, UCLA, and local institutions including Gabon’s Space Agency (AGEOS), Forests and Water Ministry (MINEF), and National Parks Authority (ANPN), Omar Bongo University in Libreville, as well as the U.S. Forest Service International Programs in Gabon.

During a weeklong workshop led by CTrees staff scientist Dr. Le Bienfaiteur Sagang, a dozen participants explored state-of-the-art remote sensing tools for mapping forest structure and quantifying above-ground biomass. The group considered how to interpret and integrate data from multiple sources, including satellites, airborne LiDAR, and field inventory plots. The workshop included a field trip to Raponda Walker Arboretum, where participants observed on-the-ground changes in forest structure. The practical experience, coupled with discussions and capacity-building plans with Omar Bongo University, strengthened local partnerships and paved the way for continued collaboration.

In meetings with Dr. Sassan Saatchi, CTrees’ CEO and senior research scientist at JPL/Caltech, Gabonese agency and academic leaders explored approaches for developing more accurate forest carbon data, including through data exchange, academic partnerships, and use of CTrees’ data products to complement Gabon’s local expertise and data systems.

Looking ahead, CTrees plans to further support Gabon's forest monitoring efforts. A field campaign later this year will collect field and airborne LiDAR data over selective logging concessions to better quantify carbon emissions and removals from logging, the dominant land use activity covering nearly 60 percent of the country. CTrees will also facilitate academic exchange with NASA JPL and Gabonese Ph.D. students and researchers.

Gabon's forests underpin the country’s economy and support global efforts to mitigate climate change, making effective forest monitoring essential. CTrees’ ongoing collaboration with Gabon will be focused on advancing the country’s leadership in conservation and sustainable development.