As part of the ASP-Cameroon project, Stichting Probos, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ATIBT), and Le Commerce du Bois (LCB) are facilitating new trade between Cameroon and the EU with a focus on Lesser Known Timber Species (LKTS) from responsibly managed forests in Cameroon.

Valorizing LKTS is important to (1) prevent over-harvesting of commercial species and reduce their regeneration potential, (2) prevent significant changes to forest structure, (3) increase the resilience of sustainable forest operations by diversifying income streams, and (4) diversify product offering in Europe. This importance was further emphasized for Cameroon by the inclusion of Padouk (Pterocarpus spp.) and Doussie (Afzelia spp.) in the CITES Annex 2 as per February 2023 and the accompanying due diligence work now required for importing these species.

Research by Robin Doucet and colleagues at the Gembloux University in Belgium has presented several interesting LKTS from Cameroon with market potential. The species include among others Omvong (Dialium spp.), Eveuss (Klainedoxa gabonensis), Mubala (Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth.), Eyek (Pachyelasma tessmannii (Harms)), and Ossoko (Scyphocephalium mannii).

If you have already imported and/or applied these or other species from Cameroon, we hope you want to share your experience with us by filling in this Google Form