As part of the sustainable management of Gabon's national parks, a kick-off workshop to renew and revitalise the Local Management Advisory Committees (LMACs) was held on 28 and 29 November 2024 at the Hôtel Étoile d'Or in Libreville. Organised by the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Gabon and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), this workshop marked an important step in the participatory management of natural resources within national parks.

Created between 2012 and 2015, the LCCs are platforms for exchange, bringing together local communities, civil society and NGOs, administrative authorities and local authorities, and the private sector. They aim to involve all stakeholders in the management of the natural resources of national parks, but have not achieved the desired objectives despite several past initiatives. 


This new impetus, supported by partners such as UNESCO, USFWS and UNDP, will make it possible to revise their charter and internal regulations, while identifying sustainable funding and operating mechanisms. At the same time, the meeting proposed an example of an application text that could be reviewed by a group of legal experts.

The workshop brought together 50 participants representing various sectors and institutions, with a rich and participative programme. In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies, the two days were marked by presentations on the current state of GLCCs and initiatives underway, as well as by group work. The main expected results are to improve the regulatory framework for the optimal operation of the LGCCs and to identify sustainable solutions for their financing.

Commissioned by the ANPN for a period of eight (08) months, WWF Gabon will play a central role in this activity, which covers nine (09) of the country's national parks. This choice is not accidental: WWF Gabon, a key player in conservation, has solid expertise in the sustainable management of ecosystems and the mobilisation of stakeholders. It has been present in Gabon for several decades, working to preserve biodiversity, strengthen local capacities and promote the sustainable development of communities. It will be deployed in the field from December 2024. 

The workshop illustrated the joint commitment of the ANPN and WWF Gabon to the inclusive and sustainable management of national parks in the interests of biodiversity and the well-being of local communities.