Preparation of the National Forest Inventory

With a 5.8% annual deforestation rate between 2005 and 2010, Togo is amongst the countries with the highest deforestation rates. As the country has never undertaken a national forest inventory, minimal reliable data exists regarding the percentage of remaining forest cover. According to FAO, less than 5% of the country’s territory is made up of closed forest while 23% is open/fragmented forest. In order to sustainably manage and conserve the remaining forests in Togo, it is necessary to generate and systematically document information regarding the condition and function of forests. This is done in part through a national forest inventory, which will also play a central role for the REDD+ mechanism and the development of an MRV system (measurement, reporting and verification). UNIQUE was contracted for the conceptual preparation of this inventory.