THE CONSERVATION ATLAS OF TROPICAL FORESTS: AFRICA

Africa's forests are being depleted at a faster rate than of any other continent. A major increase in the population growth rate began after World War II and it is now running at an annual rate of 2.9 per cent, resulting in massive demands for agricultural land, water, fuelwood and other products. There is no simple answer to environmental degradation and forest conservation must be part of a broader process of managing the landscape.
Here to address this topic is the new Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Africa, the first authoritative reference work on this subject.
The second in a series this Conservation Atlas follows the format of the acclaimed Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Asia and the Pacific (1991).
Part I describes the issues, history of forests and climate, biological diversity, conservation of large mammals, and the peoples of the forests. Included are discussions of the links between population, environment and agriculture, the timber trade, protected areas system and the future for Africa's forests.
Part II of the Atlas is a country by country survey of the forests of Africa. Stunning four-color maps, in a 9 x 12 format, have been compiled from satellite and radar imagery, aerial photography, and the latest information provided by forestry departments and development agencies. Both maps and text have been prepared and reviewed by a broad spectrum of specialists. The Atlas also includes four-color photographs and sketch maps. They represent the best visual portfolio available of Africa's forests today.
For anyone interested in environmental issues, geography, forestry, development, economics, and the African region, this Atlas will be an essential resource.

Following the World Conservation Union (IUCN)'s Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Asia and the Pacific (1991), this reference work on Africa's tropical forests features contributions from over 100 scholars, researchers, and conservationists worldwide. In Part 1, ten chapters provide a background and overview of the continent's forests. Topics covered include history; biological diversity; effects of population, agriculture, and the timber trade; forest management and conservation; and comments concerning the future. Twenty-two chapters in Part 2 deal with individual African countries or a small group of related countries. The contributors follow a standard outline for the country chapters, which makes comparisons between the countries much easier. Each chapter's introductory section provides the geographical and historical background of the country discussed. Other sections deal with its forests, its resources and management, deforestation, biodiversity, conservation areas, and recent conservation efforts. The text is packed with information, including statistics from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), IUCN, and other sources. A list of references ends each chapter. Color maps of the individual countries represent the most up-to-date boundaries available for forests and forest types, plus existing and proposed conservation areas. There are also numerous tables and illustrations. This series' broad scope, which is unmatched in other recent books, makes this highly recommended for academic libraries and for public libraries with collection interests in Africa or world environmental issues. Libraries who need just an affordable one-volume reference should have The Last Rain Forests: A World Conservation Atlas ( LJ 1/91).
- William H. Wiese, Kansas State Univ. Libs., Manhattan
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.