falls well below established targets, possibly due to the fact that savanna areas can be
mistaken for degraded forests (Sect. 9.4.2.1). In view of the renewed conservation
efforts through SDG Target 15.1 and the currently negotiated post-2020 global
biodiversity framework, it can be argued that both savannas and forests in central
Africa may require better protected areas networks.
Boosting formal conservation efforts (through national parks and otherwise)
within savanna and forest ecosystems may help mitigate the negative future outcomes of land use and climate changes (Parr et al. 2014; Veldman et al. 2015a).
However, it is interesting to point that savanna ecosystems may also lend themselves
to alternative conservation practices. For example, protected areas in savannas are
often associated with lower plant diversity compared to communally managed areas
(Dahlberg 2000; Nacoulma et al. 2011). This is because savannas are intrinsically
associated with disturbances such as fires (Veldman et al. 2015c) (Sect. 9.3.2). In this
sense, traditional land management might not degrade savanna habitats (Nacoulma
et al. 2011) (see Chap. 10, Vol. 1; Chap. 3, Vol. 2).
In such contexts, there might be a need to reevaluate land use change planning
practices to explicitly include the conservation and agricultural value of savanna
ecosystems (Veldman et al. 2015c). Some scholars have even argued that effective
biodiversity conservation will rely on associating traditional and communally managed areas, with reserves (Abel and Blaikie 1989; Nacoulma et al. 2011). Such
approaches could potentially create important synergies between SDG15 (especially
as it pertains to the sustainable use of biodiversity), SDG13 (Climate action), and
SDGs directly related to human livelihoods such as SDG2 (zero hunger) and SDG1
(no poverty).
There would also be a need to develop appropriate management frameworks for
grass-dominated biomes (Veldman et al. 2015a, c), and to better estimate the
environmental value of such biomes. Historically, the vast majority of conservation
efforts have focused on forests (Laurance et al. 2014; Tranquilli et al. 2014), but
savannas are at equal, if not greater, risk of change due to land use change (Aleman
et al. 2016). Mesic savannas and transition zones between forests and savannas in
west and central Africa may be particularly susceptible, not the least due to the fact
that they contain few protected areas (Sect. 9.3.3). Sustainable management plans for
such ecosystems should include strong monitoring components that serve both
biodiversity conservation and human development needs.
9.4.2.3 Promote Sustainable Forest Management Approaches
Finally, some of the new directions in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem
management suggest to take into account the long-term history of ecosystems
(Gillson 2015; Gillson and Marchant 2014; Barnosky et al. 2017). The peculiar
long-term history of forests and savannas in central Africa, especially in relation to
climate change and human activity (e.g., migration and activity of Bantu people),
could inform the development of more sustainable logging practices.
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J. C. Aleman and A. Fayolle
mistaken for degraded forests (Sect. 9.4.2.1). In view of the renewed conservation
efforts through SDG Target 15.1 and the currently negotiated post-2020 global
biodiversity framework, it can be argued that both savannas and forests in central
Africa may require better protected areas networks.
Boosting formal conservation efforts (through national parks and otherwise)
within savanna and forest ecosystems may help mitigate the negative future outcomes of land use and climate changes (Parr et al. 2014; Veldman et al. 2015a).
However, it is interesting to point that savanna ecosystems may also lend themselves
to alternative conservation practices. For example, protected areas in savannas are
often associated with lower plant diversity compared to communally managed areas
(Dahlberg 2000; Nacoulma et al. 2011). This is because savannas are intrinsically
associated with disturbances such as fires (Veldman et al. 2015c) (Sect. 9.3.2). In this
sense, traditional land management might not degrade savanna habitats (Nacoulma
et al. 2011) (see Chap. 10, Vol. 1; Chap. 3, Vol. 2).
In such contexts, there might be a need to reevaluate land use change planning
practices to explicitly include the conservation and agricultural value of savanna
ecosystems (Veldman et al. 2015c). Some scholars have even argued that effective
biodiversity conservation will rely on associating traditional and communally managed areas, with reserves (Abel and Blaikie 1989; Nacoulma et al. 2011). Such
approaches could potentially create important synergies between SDG15 (especially
as it pertains to the sustainable use of biodiversity), SDG13 (Climate action), and
SDGs directly related to human livelihoods such as SDG2 (zero hunger) and SDG1
(no poverty).
There would also be a need to develop appropriate management frameworks for
grass-dominated biomes (Veldman et al. 2015a, c), and to better estimate the
environmental value of such biomes. Historically, the vast majority of conservation
efforts have focused on forests (Laurance et al. 2014; Tranquilli et al. 2014), but
savannas are at equal, if not greater, risk of change due to land use change (Aleman
et al. 2016). Mesic savannas and transition zones between forests and savannas in
west and central Africa may be particularly susceptible, not the least due to the fact
that they contain few protected areas (Sect. 9.3.3). Sustainable management plans for
such ecosystems should include strong monitoring components that serve both
biodiversity conservation and human development needs.
9.4.2.3 Promote Sustainable Forest Management Approaches
Finally, some of the new directions in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem
management suggest to take into account the long-term history of ecosystems
(Gillson 2015; Gillson and Marchant 2014; Barnosky et al. 2017). The peculiar
long-term history of forests and savannas in central Africa, especially in relation to
climate change and human activity (e.g., migration and activity of Bantu people),
could inform the development of more sustainable logging practices.
304
J. C. Aleman and A. Fayolle