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Managed rainforests support higher carbon density and sequestration in the Congo Basin.
Le Bienfaiteur Sagang1,2, Ricardo Dalagnol3, Lee White4,5
1Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. sagang.bienfaiteur@yahoo.fr.
Nature Communications
|April 30, 2026
Summary
Sustainable forest management is crucial for the Congo Basin rainforest. Protecting forests, especially old-growth areas, helps maintain aboveground live carbon (AGC) stocks and enhances the region
Area of Science:
- Forestry
- Ecology
- Climate Change Science
Background:
- Land-use change significantly impacts forest ecosystems and carbon storage.
- The Congo Basin rainforest is a critical global carbon sink, but faces threats from deforestation and degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the influence of land-use disturbances on aboveground live carbon (AGC) stocks and fluxes in the Congo Basin.
- To develop an AGC density map for 2020 and integrate it with 30 years of forest cover change data.
Main Methods:
- Development of an AGC density map for the Congo Basin in 2020.
- Integration of AGC density data with high-resolution forest cover change data from 1990-2020.
- Quantification of carbon emissions and removals resulting from land-use disturbances.
Main Results:
- Logged forests contain 8% less AGC than old-growth forests; slash-and-burn and unmanaged degradations show up to 50% differences.
- Unmanaged areas hold 54% of the region's AGC.
- The Congo Basin functions as a net AGC sink (-37.5 ± 4.8 TgC/yr), primarily driven by logging concessions and protected areas.
Conclusions:
- Old-growth forests are vital for carbon sequestration and removal.
- Sustainable forest management practices are essential for enhancing carbon retention in the Congo Basin.
- Land-use policies must consider the significant impact of disturbances on AGC stocks and fluxes.
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