Changes in Africa's forest cover and current threats to forest biodiversity


Like some other tropical regions, the last millennium has borne observe to the most quick change in Africa's tropical forest covers. Using the exception of the Congo basin plus some regions in West Africa, unchanged tropical moist forest has become decreased to fairly small regions (Botkin & Talbot 1992), while fewer humid areas have struggled equally (Skoupy 1991). However today's deforestation levels vary widely around the continent, inspired by aspects like population demand, accessibility and also quantity of forest covers leftover (Barnes 1990, WCMC 1992), there isn't any doubt that the general graphic is one of a natural forest source that's seriously threatened, and the condition is worsening quickly as period passes.

Illegal logging africa
Illegal Logging Africa


Risks to the natural diversity in the forest equally vary based on a collaboration of the traditional use for the forest, existing land pressures and the stage of cover presented on the forest. As an illustration, industrial logging techniques, both illegal and legal, contain seriously decreased the genetic diversity provide in several wooden species. The amount of the preserved area structure, like national parks, nature reserves, hunting reserves, et cetera, protecting forests in any nation in Africa is different substantially (WCMC 1992) and is highlighted in depth in Sayer et al. (1992). The general opinion of the writers who offered data for the collection of Table 1 is that the risks to these regions need to be recognized as a issue of emergency and effective actions of cover set up area if the biodiversity they have is to get effectively conserved.

Keyword: African Forest, Illegal Logging Africa, Diversity  Forest, Tropical Forest