On May 9th” 2008 in Lomié” in the department of Haut Nyong” Eastern Province” Cameroon” a group of community forestry leaders and advocates took a major step to strengthen the connections between community managers and representatives of community forestry initiatives in the Congo Basin with the formation of the new Central African Community Forestry Network (REFOCAC).

The network was formed by participants in the Sub-regional Workshop on Community Management of Forestlands and Wildlife in Central Africa. Workshop participants also created a leadership committee that will work to further establishing and structuring the new network. Participants developed a strategic action plan to guide the actions and activities of REFOCAC” which includes the following central themes for engagement:

• Adaptation and harmonization of the legal and regulatory frameworks.

• Capacity building of all actors engaged in community forestry in Central Africa.

• Lobbying of decision makers” donors and the private sector.

• The promotion of intercommunity exchanges for experience sharing.

• The development and promotion of financing mechanisms for community forestry.

• Effective exchange of information.

• Commercialization and promotion of non-timber forest products.

Access conference program” final communiqué” list of participants” presentations and photographs here.

Photograph courtesy of Elizabeth Ashamu” 2008.