The Disappearing Forests of Equatorial Guinea

By Our Reporter

Just like other countries in most countries of the Rain Forest belt along the coastal belt of Africa, Equatorial Guinea, a country in Central Africa is also feeling the impact of deforestation with its devastating consequences on its ecosystem.

For years, the forest has been a source of life for generations. The water that supplies many communities, the fertility of the soil, biodiversity and the livelihood of thousands of families depend on it. However, what for a long time seemed an inexhaustible resource is beginning to show signs of exhaustion.

Both on the island of Bioko and on the mainland, people are watching trees disappear, heat rising, and rivers losing flow.

Although the country remains one of the territories with the highest forest cover in Central Africa, this natural wealth is facing increasing pressure.

The government of Equatorial Guinea cannot be absolved from activities that have largely contributed to the demise of the forests. A recent report by the African Center for Strategic Studies noted that Illegal logging has been responsible for the transport and export of rare hardwoods. It revealed that some of the country’s forests have been sold to private companies while a shell company linked to the ministry of agriculture has been used to charge fees for processing, loading, and transporting timber.

According to data from the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), between 2016 and 2022 Equatorial Guinea lost 62,117 hectares of forest, while a further 42,244 hectares were degraded. It is also estimated that around 8,700 hectares of forest mass disappear each year, mainly as a result of agricultural expansion, logging, urban growth and infrastructure development.

This reality is reflected in a field visit to Malabo, Bata and nearby communities. The engagement rcaptured the perception of those who live daily with a landscape that is changing at an ever-increasing rate and reveals that deforestation is no longer a future threat, but a phenomenon whose effects are beginning to be felt in the daily lives of the population.

Although Malabo and Bata have different dynamics of urban growth and economic development, there is a common concern: the progressive loss of forests.

In the island region, people from Basakato del Oeste, Basupu Poblado and Baloeri/Cristo Rey say that there is less vegetation today than a few years ago. Most of them believe that the reduction is very evident, while none of the participants reported having observed an increase in forest cover in the last five years.

In the continental region of Bata and neighboring towns there is similar perception as the locals identify commercial logging as the main cause of deforestation, followed by urban sprawl and, to a lesser extent, agricultural activities.

Although the data come from different geographical contexts, they agree on the same message: forest cover is decreasing and its effects are beginning to be felt in people's daily lives.

 

The heat is no longer the same

Beyond the statistics, the inhabitants describe changes that they experience every day.

In Bioko communities, the increase in temperature appears as the most obvious consequence of the loss of trees. Most of the locals believe that the heat has intensified significantly compared to previous years.

When I was a child, the trees protected us from the sun, and the river never stopped flowing. Now the heat is much more intense, and during the dry season we have to walk farther to find water. Every year, we watch a little more of the forest that sustained our lives disappear," says Tobileri Esuba a woman living in a rural community in Bioko, reflecting a sentiment shared by many of the people interviewed during the study.

Where vegetation used to provide shade and help maintain a cooler environment, today spaces more exposed to the sun and higher temperatures predominate.

The concern does not end there. Almost half of the participants say that rivers and streams that previously supplied the communities have significantly reduced their flow or even dry up during certain times of the year. For many rural families, this makes it difficult to access water for domestic consumption, agriculture and other daily activities.

In Bata, the perception of community sources coincides with this diagnosis. Most of them consider the loss of biodiversity to be the main impact of deforestation, while a significant number identify climate change as the most worrying consequence. Only a small portion of respondents point to soil erosion as the main observed effect.

The causes vary according to the territory, but the result is the same

On the origin of the problem, in Bioko communities, agricultural expansion was identified as the main cause of forest loss, followed by government-driven infrastructure projects, commercial timber harvesting, and the use of firewood and charcoal as a domestic energy source. Many families continue to rely on these resources due to the lack of affordable energy alternatives.

In the continental region, most locals consider commercial logging to be the main driver of deforestation. Urban expansion and the growth of agricultural activities are also identified as contributing to the progressive reduction of forest cover.

We do not cut down trees because we want to destroy the forest. Many families do it because they need land to grow crops, cook their meals, or build their homes. But we also know that if we continue losing the forest, our children and future generations will face a much more difficult future," says Nguema Eyegue, a farmer from a rural community in Bata.

Although priorities vary from region to region, the study shows that pressure on forests comes from multiple human activities that, together, accelerate the degradation of ecosystems.

Biodiversity is also disappearing

The loss of trees does not only modify the landscape. The inhabitants say that it is increasingly difficult to find certain species of fauna and flora that for decades were part of the natural environment.

At Bioko, half of the people consulted regret the progressive disappearance of wild animals and plants traditionally used for food and natural medicine. This change affects both the ecological balance and the traditional knowledge passed down between generations.

In Bata, the loss of biodiversity also appears as the main environmental impact identified by the locals.

“ We used to find medicinal plants very close to our homes. My grandmother taught my sisters and me which ones were used to treat fever, stomach aches, digestive problems, and other illnesses. Now we have to walk much farther to find them, and some of them have almost disappeared, says Bönay Bokobo a woman from a rural community in Bioko.

 

Who should protect forests?

One of the questions posed during the research sought to know who should take the lead in the protection of forest resources.

The answers show a shared responsibility. Among mainland participants, the government and people received the same level of support as the primary responsibility for protecting forests, while a smaller percentage attributed this role to corporations.

Citizens are willing to actively participate in the conservation of forest heritage if they have adequate information, tools and programs to do so. Deforestation is no longer just an environmental concern. Its effects are beginning to have a direct impact on the quality of life of the communities, altering the local climate, reducing water sources and putting at risk the biodiversity that characterizes Equatorial Guinea.

Faced with this scenario, there is need for the strengthening of environmental education, bringing forestry legislation closer to the population through awareness campaigns, promoting alternatives to the use of firewood and charcoal and developing permanent reforestation programs with the joint participation of public institutions, companies and local communities.

The situation in Malabo and Bata reflects a shared reality: although the causes may vary from one territory to another, the loss of forests is transforming the environment and the lives of those who depend on it. For many of the locals, protecting forest resources is no longer only a matter of environmental conservation, but a necessity to guarantee the well-being of present and future generations.