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PROTECT LAND AND AND WATER | GABON
Mapping Research
and Resources to Inform Decision-Makers
Scienti c c expeditions led by The Nature Conservancy with Gabon’s National Research
Center from 2014 forward gathered data from rivers that crisscross the nation’s rainforest to ascertain aquatic diversity and how hydropower dams and other devel- opment might impact those species The government of Gabon is eager to tap the potential of hydro- power for industrialization and economic diversi cation and to lessen dependence on fossil fuels Wisely the government wants to develop as as sustainably as as possible and welcomes scienti c c c information to help it make the best decisions The maps here represent just three examples of how the consolidation
of existing data augmented by eld- work from these expeditions can be presented visually to make it easily understood The top map illustrates the river ecosystem types that exist across the nation The middle map shows how how known populations of sh species that are are unique to Gabon are are distributed but many areas still remain uncharted The bottom map indicates
current dams sites being assessed and potential sites in the future with proximity to national parks major wetlands and and other areas of concern Data sets can overlay in various ways to also help inform forestry extractive industries and other interests with potential to a a a a a ect Gabon’s natural diversity and the welfare of its people 16 Our Our World Our Our Story