KEY FACTS - Changemakers€¦ · CAP SANTA CLARA CAP ESTERIAS POINTE BOLOUKOUBOUÉ POINTE AKANDA Ambo c h o u Corsico Bay Mondah Bay A military site is on the western side of the

AKANDA NATIONAL PARKDATE CREATED: 2002AREA: 540 km2

HIGHEST PEAK: 20mHABITAT: Mangroves, Mudflats, CoastalWaters, patches of Moist Coastal ForestPROVINCE: EstuaireNEAREST TOWNS: Libreville, Ntoum,CocobeachNEAREST AIRPORT: Libreville/Léon MbaPRINCIPAL TOPOGRAPHY: Coastalmangroves

KEY FACTS

PHASE ONE DEVELOPMENT

akandaNATIONAL PARKand the libreville area

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OPPORTUNITY FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The peninsula north of Libreville, adjacentto Akanda National Park, provides significantopportunities for long-term benefit to the nation.The Park’s strategic site can benefit Libreville withrecreation and sustained fisheries reproduction,while also offering potential as an anchor fora series of green spaces that could become animportant driving force for Libreville's futureeconomic growth and quality of life.

An urban design plan for lands near the Park can integrate innovativeand profitable development with open spaces. With proper planning,Libreville can experience greater economic growth while becoming a modelfor 21st Century African urbanism with increased quality of life. Hereingovernment investment in circulation (roads, siting for low-impact sewagesystems) and other elements for urban infrastructure (siting for schools,retail, villages) is possible as Libreville grows. Integrating forestpreservation and sustainable construction into development of theproposed “Emerald Arc” will further enhance opportunity for profitand improved lives. Building within the forest, rather than clear cutting,can maintain ecosystem services and healthy spaces.

As nearly all tourists in Gabon pass through the capital, Libreville willbecome the national hub for tourism, and should be developed as such.Many visitors will spend their first and last nights of a two-week trip inLibreville, where they will want to experience authentic Gabonese cultureand shop for local items as mementos of their trip.

LEFT: Flocks of African Skimmers are common here - remarkable in a place so close to a capital city.

FAR LEFT: Libreville is quickly expanding to the north. It is critical to address development issues nowso that future residents will enjoy an increased standard of living that includes healthy green spaces.

AKANDA NATIONAL PARK 22

Cap Esterias with its existing

restaurants will become

an increasingly important

weekend destination.

Nature trails in the Mondah Forest

(a classified forest) will serve

thousands more people as the city

expands and gets closer.

The Mondah Forest is impressive,

with great trees and rare orchids,

perfectly located as a future urban

park surrounded by city. This forest

is also important for traditional

Myéné ceremonies.

Certain ancient palms and other

plants need high humidity and can

be found in Gabon only in Mondah

and the coast to Akanda.

The north forests are the sole

place in Gabon where several

rare orchids are found.

Tiny islands in the National Park

are valuable roosting places

for migrant shorebirds, the only

places the birds can go at

high tide.

Multicolored killifish swim in the

freshwater shallows - one species

is found only here.

A new road system will bring

people into the capital quickly

from the north.

Tangles of mangrove roots serve as

a protective nursery for juveniles of

barracuda, rouge, and most of the

other marine fish that people eat.The park is also important

for artisanal fishing.

Malimbé 2 village is

sited near the fluctuating

tidal waters.

The mud flats at Akanda

are among the most

important in all Africa for

shorebirds migrating from

Europe.

Small numbers

of monkeys still

exist in the

National Park.

Small numbers of manatees

still exist in the Park, but

face pressure from

immigrant hunters.

Akanda has one of Africa's large remaining

populations of African Skimmers.

CAP SANTA CLARA

CAP ESTERIAS

POINTE BOLOUKOUBOUÉ

POINTE AKANDA

Ambochou

Corsico Bay

Mondah Bay

A military site is on the western

side of the penninsula.

Signs mark the

site of Libreville's

future airport.

An island in the Park is home to

hundreds of immigrants.

23 AKANDA NATIONAL PARK

Parts of the forest that have been

logged and mined for sand are

valuable for future development,

especially where groves of native

trees are preserved.

POTENTIAL FOR URBAN PARKSINTEGRATE PARKS INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Multiple current land uses and urban development opportunities embellishthe expanding northern edge of the capital. Akanda National Park plays acritical role in fisheries reproduction to guarantee food security for futuregenerations, as well as providing recreational space for residents ofLibreville. Additionally, the Park protects one of Africa's importantshorebird flocks. An entrance to the Park is needed to increase accessiblityfor the people of Libreville.

The western Mondah Forest with its great trees, nature trails, andbeach access has potential as an innovative urban park. Forests here areconsidered sacred and have cultural importance to Myéne peoples.North and west forests are biologically valuable as home to orchidsand other rare plants, thanks to high humidity near the ocean at thepenninsula’s end.

The partially logged, partially excavated east central part of the peninsulaoffers great opportunity for urban development, which will be morevaluable to citizens and more profitable for investors if it becomes part ofa development plan that incorporates open spaces. Envisioned here are a“green” rainforest airport, botanic garden, urban parks, a golf course, andother recreational opportunities for the capital, as well as a biologicalsewage treatment system (in existing sand excavations). Future homes andworkplaces for the growing populace of Libreville can all be integrated inthe area if built in accordance with a comprehensive urban masterplan.

Opportunities for tourism near the

city exist along the shore.

akandanational park

A large development is

proposed for the Sabilière

and waterfront areas.

Pottery found in the Sabilière area

is testament to rich prehistory in

the area.

While many of the larger

animals have disappeared

so close to the city, large

numbers of grosbeaks,

sunbirds, and other

beautiful species remain.

While small boats can enter the

Park from Charbiliere, a more

easily-reached National Park entry

is needed to provide access to

thousands of Libreville residents

and tourists.

As Libreville grows and roads

get crowded where will children

go for recreation? Where will

bicyclists go? These groups

must be accommodated for in

plans for the peninsula.

LIBREVILLE


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TOP LEFT: Populations of the elegant African Skimmer are dropping quickly. Akanda is one of themost important refuges for the species, with groups of up to 1,200 individuals observed regularlyin November.

BELOW LEFT: With every rising tide, thousands of shorebirds seek refuge at “two tree island” inthe National Park. However, much of the time the island is occupied instead by immigrant fishermenwhose presence inadvertently scares the birds away, forcing birds into more dangerous places.Akanda’s annual shorebird census indicates that this bird population is dropping. It is importantto find another place for fishermen to rest so the birds can return to their island.

RIGHT: Birders will look for the LoangoWeaver at Akanda. It is a coastal birdfound almost only in Gabon.

BELOW: Migrant Curlews andCurlew Sandpipers join thousandsof other European shorebirds eachyear at Akanda. A specialobservation hide in the park will helppark guests get close to thesecharismatic birds.

RARE BIRD CONCENTRATIONS

One of Africa’s largest populations of African Skimmers rests on the tidalflats at Akanda. At low tide, hectares of exposed muds provide food forthousands of European shorebirds; it’s one of the most important placesfor these migrants to Africa.

RARE PLANTS

A number of palms and other ancient plants that live here (many ofthem only here) evolved at an epoch of high humidity in Africa, and stillsurvive today in the forests of Akanda/Mondah thanks to moist ocean air.Special orchids, needing such humid conditions, live only here in Gabonamongst other air plants on the mossy branches of this unique coastalforest. Phyllobotryon spathulatum, whose flowers appear on the centralnerve of the leaf, is found only in a few coastal places in the Gulf ofGuinea. Akanda’s many beautiful orchids need the special air of thepeninsula to survive.

ABOVE: The high humidity of theAkanda/Mondah peninsula favorsluxuriant orchid growth.


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AKANDA BIODIVERSITYMANGROVE RICHES

The Akanda area provides important renewable natural resources forLibreville. The mangrove forests around Libreville, both here and atPongara, serve as important nurseries for juveniles of many ocean fisheseaten by people in the city. Park creation protects these mangroves,assuring food for people far into the future. Akanda’s mudflats are oneof Africa’s most important wintering places for thousands of migrantEuropean shorebirds, as well as African species. Additionally, smallnumbers of Talapoin and other monkeys - and even African Manatee -still live in the mangrove tangles. Sea turtles coming from as far awayas Brazil feed in seaweed beds in rocky parts of the bay.

UNIQUE PLANTS IN THESE FORESTS

Exceptionally damp coastal forests along the north edge of this peninsula,from the Mondah Forest into Akanda, nourish many plants growing onlyhere in Gabon, requiring extra moisture from the sea. These include rareorchids, palms, and other plants (plus several butterflies and a brightlycolored killifish). This is a special place where fresh water streams aretidal, fluctuating daily from pressures of saltwater tides, creating uniqueconditions for life. But these forests are under considerable developmentpressure from the expanding city. Part of the Mondah forest was degazettedto meet needs for concrete sand and the growing city. It is predicted that atcurrent rates, the entire biologically-rich forest between Mondah andAkanda will be gone in just a few years. Select parts of this forest can beprotected as the city grows closer – optimally by integrating profitable urbandevelopment with a corridor of protected forests to create the proposed“Emerald Arc” (see pages 29-30) of native forest patches forming connectedurban green spaces.

Fisherman in pirogues catch some fish righthere but mangroves’ greater biological valueis to produce a quantity of marine fish. Rouge,Capitain, Barracuda and many ocean fishesspent their first years in mangroves, protectedby tangles of roots. No mangroves = no fishfor Libreville.

ABOVE: A spectrum of wildlife exists in the

labyrinths of mangrove roots.

LEFT COLUMN: Many kinds of birds, including

apalises, weavers, and sunbirds frequent the

forested areas. Akanda is a land of crab

diversity with different specializations, from

crabs that climb trees for food to burrowing

crabs that attract females by waving their

claws. The land crabs found here are the

source of a traditional dish served in many

Libreville restaurants, crabe farci. Unless

habitat is protected, these crabs will decline

and a culinary tradition will be lost.

RIGHT: Small groups of Red-capped Mangabeys

still live in these mangroves, even in proximity

to Libreville. Protection is needed to preserve

the remaining animals.


Facilitating Tourism at Akanda

A cluster of concessions could be established around a new entrance towerfor the National Park. Some areas can be protected with high-tech roofcoverings that allow soft light to enter but keep out rain, to retain anoutdoor feeling and receive maximum usage by visitors. A materialcalled Ondoline uses organic fibers, and another called Kalwall is 20%recycled material. Both have good properties for rot and mold resistance.

VISION

ABOVE: Akanda is perfect for kayakers. Thewaters are extensive yet small enough thatforeigners in kayaks can’t easily get lost.

ABOVE: If located properly, a new parkentry tower can stimulate park tourism -surrounded by kayak rentals, restaurants, andother commercial resources for park users.

FAR LEFT: Fishermen on “two tree island”inadvertently frighten birds from theirsafe roosts.

LEFT: A covered observatory on the islandwould enable close views of thousands ofmigrant sandpipers at high tide. The proposedstructure visually hides people, and woodendecoys help the birds feel safe. To preventdisturbing migratory populations, the observa-tory must be built while the birds are in Europe.

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VISION

HELPING LOCAL BIRDPOPULATIONS

Besides supporting populations ofLoango Weavers, found almostonly in Gabon, Akanda is animportant wintering land forthousands of waders from Europe.Protection of the tiny “two treeisland” in the park is critical. Birdsare easily scared when anunknowing fisherman lands atthis solitary island during high tide(a time when the birds have cometo the island for refuge).

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AREAS OF AKANDA URBAN PARKS FOR PEOPLE

A new Parcs Gabon entry site is proposed to overlook park waters andencourage activities from boating and exploring in the park, to enjoyingrestaurants, recreational areas, botanic gardens, family activities, and otherfunctions important for high quality of life in a great 21st Century capital.Libreville residents and tourists will come by vehicle. A new access roadand entrance is important for them to easily find the park. Current accessby pirogue from Charbonage or Malibé is inadequate.

The Park has two main biological areas: coastal forest in the north andmangroves extending around the bay toward the city to the south. Themangroves are a major fish production area for marine fisheries and alsosupport local fishermen. In time, possible limits on foreign fishermanliving within the park will need to be addressed.

As Libreville inevitably expands to the north, the opportunity exists toform a comprehensive urban design plan for the peninsula, with creationof open space linking Akanda National Park and the Mondah Forest. Acorridor of outdoor activities called the “Emerald Arc” is proposed forthis area. This alternative to unplanned urban sprawl maximizes theopportunity for private investment and government planning.

LIBREVILLE: THE HUB FOR TOURISM

As the site of international business - with a major airport and manyhotels, bars, restaurants, and taxis - Libreville is already Gabon’s visitorhub. Most tourists will begin and end their trip in Libreville. To maximizeGabon’s potential for tourism, more visitor activities and resources areneeded in the area, such as the Rainforest Discovery Center, Museum ofArts and Cultures, and other urban recreation areas proposed here.

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DRY FORESTWhile Akanda is mostly mangroves,patches of high dry forest have theirown special ecosystems.

TURTLE FEEDING GROUNDSThe waters of Akanda are importantfeeding grounds for rare sea turtles.

MUDFLATSVast mudflats in the tidal areas ofthe park serve as an important refugefor numerous migrating shorebirds.

MANATEESA few manatees still survive inAkanda - but they face severehunting pressure.

MANGROVESDense mangroves provide a nurseryfor many fish species that supportthe local fishing economy.

5 kmBuffer Zone

5 kmBuffer Zone

MONDAH FORESTThe magnificent Mondah Forest, althoughunder constant development pressure, stillholds important biodiversity. An innovativeeducation center is planned here.

INHABITED ISLANDA small island in the park ishome to a community ofNigerian fisherman.


URBAN EXPANSIONThe peninsula north of Libreville isunder tremendous pressure fromthe expanding urban population.

PARK ENTRY NEEDEDA new park entry is needed, withaccess to the main road fromLibreville.

EMERALD ARCProposed for the capital area is an “EmeraldArc”of linked urban open spaces connectingMondah Forest and Akanda National Park.

3 Nautical Miles – Artisanal Fishing Only

6 Nautical Miles – National Fishing Only

0 5

Km

10

NRIGHT: Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou,Minister of State for Transport, Civil Aviationand Tourism - an important role in determiningGabon’s best path for sustainable tourism,especially with regard to new infrastructure.

5 kmBuffer Zone

GABON PARKS (1)

PARK AREA

PARK INFRASTRUCTURE (1A)

ENTRY

OFFICE

PATROL

RESEARCH

AIRSTRIP

CONCESSIONAIRE ZONE (2)

CONCESSION

PROPOSED HOTEL SITE

PROPOSED HOTEL(Site to be Found)

EXISTING HOTEL

PROPOSED CAMP SITE

EXISTING CAMP SITE

AIRSTRIP

VILLAGE ZONE (3)

VILLAGE ZONE

OFF LIMITS ZONE (4)

NO GO ZONE

BUFFER ZONE (5)

BUFFER

TRANSPORTATION

MAJOR ROAD

MINOR ROAD

UNIMPROVED

PROPOSED ROAD

TRAIL

PROPOSED TRAIL

TRAIN

TRAIN STATION

KEY

HH

HCC

The proposed “Rainforest Open” golf course

Developed land adjacent to parks is valuable

Expanded facilities at Cap Esterias

Traditional ceremonies at Myéne forest groves

Recreation for Libreville and tourists

Logging and sand mining are already underway

Upper/mid/low income housing for thousands

Children’s Discovery Center at Mondah


18 HOLE FOREST GOLFCOURSE & COUNTRY CLUB

RAINFOREST DISCOVERYCENTER EXTENDS FROMEXISTING ROAD TO SEA

PARKSIDE “GREEN” HOUSES AND CONDOMINIUMSFOR VARYING INCOME LEVELS

LUXURY HOUSINGNEXT TO GOLF COURSE

BOTANIC GARDEN AND 13PARKS RECREATION AREA

PARKSIDE “GREEN” HOUSES AND CONDOMINIUMSFOR VARYING INCOME LEVELS

“GREEN” AIRPORT

ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE SEWAGE ANDWASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIESPROTECT LAND AND WATER AROUNDAIRPORT

MONDAH FOREST

CAP ESTERIAS

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CREATING “THE EMERALD ARC”URBAN PLANNING TO STIMULTATE PROFITABLEINVESTMENT AND RECREATION FOR LIBREVILLE

A sustainable urban design plan is needed for Libreville as it expands intothe northern peninsula. The use of a development plan will maximize theinterface between developed and park areas - benefitting both developersand nature. This is more profitable than urban sprawl, and will increasethe quality of life for Gabon’s people. Increased investment opportunitiescan be had if plans integrate a green corridor for urban recreation andopen space. As proven in major cities around the world (Paris, London,New York, and Los Angeles), real estate values are considerably higherfor land overlooking parks, open land, and recreational space.

It is evident that most fragments of former Okoumé forests in the centerof the peninsula will disappear as the capital migrates north, requiringsand for cement and space for development. The sketch at left suggestsalternative development for the area, a profitable plan that retains manybiologically valuable forest fragments as part of a green corridor thatencourages urban development.

Proposed for the capital area is an “Emerald Arc”of linked urban openspaces connecting Mondah Forest and Akanda National Park. Thiscrescent of parks and indoor/outdoor cultural facilities includes innovativerecreational areas, biofiltration systems, and an urban parkway forstreamlined access downtown. The arc can retain existing patches ofnative forest and integrate into profitable condominium and housedevelopments - urban “villages” with schools, restaurants, shopping,and other city needs.

In the 19th Century, Napoleon and Baron Hausman rebuilt Paris, creatingthe great boulevards and investment opportunities that make Paris grandand liveable today. They created modern Paris with a successful blueprint,and Libreville can do the same through careful study and a comprehensiveurban design plan. Parisian urban planning offices have this expertise.As Frederick Law Olmsted did with Boston’s Emerald Necklace in theUnites States, Gabon’s Emerald Arc will link multiple green zones betweenMondah Forest and Akanda National Park, creating urban spaces thatretain healthy amounts of green.

Wide parkways/bus lanes, not crowded roads

Rare orchids and other rare plants protected

Modern “green” design for sewage treatment

A shorebird observatory proposed for the park

A new botanic garden and “Orchid Palace”

A new National Park entry complex is needed

The proposed new “green” airport for Libreville

Waterways remains clean and unpolluted


AKANDA NATIONAL PARKENTRY AND OFFICES

PARCS GABONNATIONALHEADQUARTERS

AKANDA NATIONAL PARK

Tourism Potential for City Sites

Tourists will need places to stay near the capital, for the days surroundingtheir arrival to and departure from Gabon. Places with open views offorest and water near Akanda, Mondah, and Pongara provide perfect sitesfor tourists to be both in nature and near the capital. The vision is thatvisitors can explore the proposed Rainforest Discovery Center, Museum ofCulture and Arts, and Botanic Garden. Kayaking in Akanda National Parkand shopping in Libreville can also fill the days. Tourist activities in thecapital area will provide jobs for the people of Gabon.

TOP: Beautiful beaches can be found nearCap Esterias and Libreville. Increased tourismat Cap Esterias and around protected lands ofMondah Forest can help increase the nation’stax base and provide concession funds to helpsupport parks.

LEFT: Much tourism business near the capitalwill be a thriving restaurant industry.

RIGHT: A new restaurant can use recycled“turtlewood” logs for décor, building toprotect turtles.

ABOVE: Although much of the beautiful MondahForest north of Libreville is disappearing, thereare still clusters of biologically important treesworth saving.

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VISION

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ECONOMIC advantages THE ARGUMENT FOR PLANNED DEVELOPMENT

Development on the peninsula to the north of Libreville can maximizebenefit to the local people, environment, and economy if planned properly.Real estate at the edge of open space and park land is often the mostvaluable. Hence urban planning for the area can maximize the edge bycreating networks of open spaces in the existing fragmented forest lands.A meandering edge offers more frontage and hence more valuable parksidereal estate. For example, attractive lagoons can be created in places alreadyexcavated for sand.

Residential communities built around schools, stores, and offices willminimize automobile use and allow children to safely walk to school.A transportation corridor can be built to the central city to minimizetraffic tie-ups. Open space can be designed to incorporate biologicalfiltration systems so that this area of the city won't need expensive sewagetreatment plants. The community can be profitable - a model for 21stCentury African urbanism. To accomplish such a goal, a comprehensiveurban plan is needed.

Dense middle-income housing can be green too. High-rent villas can overlook these natural-looking wetlands.

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VISION

ABOVE AND LEFT: Land near parks, water views, and otheropen space is highly valuable real estate.International developers build golf courses and otheropen spaces in order to create opportunities forprofitable development. It is possible to planahead for this kind of development rather thanallow uncontrolled urban sprawl, which doesn’tincrease land value or quality of life.

RIGHT: The forest is already being cut down toremove sand for construction and create clearedspaces for Libreville to expand. Why not do a plannedexpansion that includes green spaces? The idea is tomaximize the length of developable land adjacent to openspace, to increase area for profitable development.


The Rainforest Airport would help impart a sense of national identity the moment visitors arrive.

The existing airport occupies valuable land inthe city center - a dangerous airport site.

Native birds and other wildlife can live here too.The design is inspired by distinctive shapes ofGabon's buttress trees, some 500 years old.

Modern services such as routinely updated flightinformation boards are needed.

The Rainforest AirportTHE WORLD'S FIRST “GREEN” AIRPORT

Libreville already plans to move the existing international airport to freeup city land and to make air travel safer. If a new airport is to beconstructed here, why not build it as an instantly recognizeable icon forGabon - the Rainforest Airport. It can be the first “green” airport, bybuilding around existing trees for shade to reduce air conditioning needs,and directing water runoff into a biological filtration system. Byrecapturing oil and other runoff in special traps, the airport would preventpetroleum from entering nearby Akanda National Park, where oil woulddamage the mangroves needed for fisheries production.

In addition to modern security systems and more comfortable waitingareas, the new airport should provide user-friendly services such aschanging information boards, easy on-site visa approvals, and lesscrowding. It should also accommodate larger planes with increasedcapacity for expanding tourism.

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VISION

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“Green” Airport in a “Green” CityCREATING AN ECOLOGICALLY-FRIENDLY CAPITAL

A comprehensive plan for the peninsula can create “green” subdivisionsand even the world's first sustainable airport, sending much of its effluentinto naturalistic biological filtration systems rather than into urban sewers(or worse, into Akanda National Park and the ocean where Gabon’s foodcomes from). Development can be built around clumps of existing shadetrees, reducing the need for air conditioning. With reduced energyconsumption, operational costs to the government are reduced.

We live in an increasing era where global populations increasingly pourinto cities in search of job opportunities, but this urban immigration oftencreates seemingly unsolveable problems with overcrowding, congestedtraffic, pollution, problematic urban sprawl, and lowered quality of life.Gabon has the opportunity to craft Libreville’s expansion properly,creating a new global model for proper urban growth.

The proposed Rainforest Airport will strategically position Gabon fortourism by standing out in a crowd of homogenous international airports.Not only would this new atmosphere excite arriving travelers, but theairport itself would be an attraction. Shops and restaurants wouldincrease opportunities for profit in this remarkable space.

INEXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE TO CITY SEWAGE PLANT

The areas mined for sand in the forested patches north of Libreville havegreat potential as places to build biological filtration systems for urbansewage. This would result in Gabon not having to invest in expensiveprimary filtration plants, which creates huge operating costs to thegovernment later. Water catchment “marshes” would be built forfiltration, surrounded by urban building lots for private development.This low-maintenance cost system has proven successful elsewhere.

Sewage goes from each building into a series of underground septic tanks built in the sandysoils here. Partly-cleaned water would then move into manmade marshlands filled with thickwetlands vegetation able to pull excess nutrients out of the water, creating clean water.

BELOW-GROUNDSEPTIC TANKS CATCHINITIAL SEWAGEFROM BUILDINGS

WATER FLOWS INTOMANMADE “WETLANDS”WITH THICK NATIVEVEGETATION

PATCHES OF NATIVE TREESARE RETAINED ANDPROTECTED

GREY WATERBLACK WATER

FILTER ANDSURGE TANK

ANAEROBICTREATMENTTANK

WEED FILTRATION/ WETLANDS

WETLANDS

RIGHT: If a new airport is to be built here, why

not lead the world by making it a model for

“green” airports that benefit people and

nature alike? A green airport would welcome

visitors to Rainforest Africa with a globally

recognizable icon. To truly be green, an

alternative location would be optimal.

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LEFT: George Mbourou’s 2007 painting wasinspired by the traditions and landscape ofLopé, Gabon’s first World Heritage Site.

BELOW LEFT: Gabon’s vibrant culture is broughtto life in a novel virtual museum and book atwww.gabonart.com, a precursor to theproposed museum.

IMAGES RIGHT: The striking blue-haired figureis exemplary of Gabon’s many Bwiti reliquaries;this one from the Lumbo people in Mayumba.The interior of a Tsogho Bwiti temple (Ebandza)might serve as one of many inspirations for themuseum’s design. Ceremonial items from eachcultural group, like this Vuvi “Muhunzu” dancemask, could be displayed in conjunction withimagery and music in energetic, multi-dimensional exhibits.

ABOVE: Imagine a great hall of traditional dance, with music all around and images projected onfull-sized raffia-covered marquettes, seeming to swirl with life.

ABOVE: Vibrant museum designs should be based on arts and oral traditions - energized by motion, music, and sound.


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Plans for an innovative Gabonese modelculture village intends to keep traditions alive.This can contribute to activites in the EmeraldArc - the display can possibly integrate with theproposed National Museum of Art and Culture.

A NEW museum of art & culturesCELEBRATING TRADITION AND PROMOTING TOURISM

Imagine a new museum, unlike any other, with collections of powerfullybeautiful African objects integrated with new techologies that integratesound, static and projected images, music, dance, and historical objects tobring Gabon’s culture alive. A new art and culture center could presentGabon’s rich traditions and history intertwined with elements of therainforest - just as nature weaves through Gabonese cultures. Part of themuseum could make use of rainforest trees, using natural color, coolingand shade in an eco-friendly, sustainable design.

This innovative new museum is proposed as a tourist attraction for Libreville,Gabon’s tourism hub. Such a museum would showcase national pride, andoffer a significant resource for cultural tourism in Gabon. The museum couldbe constructed in one of two places: a prominent downtown location tostimulate business at nearby restaurants and shops, or in the proposedEmerald Arc.

The idea of an iconic museum is based on the success of signaturemuseums elsewhere. Spain’s Bilbao Museum has almost one millionvisitors per year. The new National Museum of the American Indianattracts millions to Washington, DC. And Parisian tourism is, of course,dependent on great museums, with the new Quai Branly Museum drawingtwice as many visitors as expected. The popularity of the Branly’s exhibitson African art demonstrates a global interest in African culture. YetAfrica’s only internationally known cultural museum is in Egypt.

Gabon has a start with the National Museum of Arts and Traditionsin Libreville, as well as Gabon’s intriguing new Virtual Museums(gabonart.com). Initial support by influential Gabonese and a wellorganized and subsidized management plan could stimulate globaldonor support.

RIGHT: Ancient Gabonese traditions persist inmodern Gabon. The museum should bedesigned to capture the vibrant essence ofGabon past and present.

FAR RIGHT: Gabonese artist George Mbourouand his African Mother Nature symbol, Africa’semblem at the 2005 Universal Exhibition inAichi, Japan.

LEFT: Visitors will be excited to learn aboutsculptures like this lively Obamba (Mboy)reliquary figure.

VISION

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ABOVE: The existing nature trails at MondahForest are much loved but need more durablematerials and a new system of regularmaintenance, possible by creating a high-profilecenter with a full operations budget.

The visitors' Rainforest Discovery Center experience will take people from the treetops to thesea in novel ways that show how nature works.

A cutaway stream will allow underwater views of Gabon’s brilliantly colored native fishes.Hands-on exploration in nature inspires children. Moreover,understanding local ecosystems connects children to their environment and empowers them to protect their own natural resources.

RAINFOREST DISCOVERY CENTER

Imagine a “super nature center” in the forest, accessible to thousandsof Gabonese people for adventures in fun and learning. The RainforestDiscovery Center is proposed to be sited less than an hour from the capitaland accessible to more than 75% of Gabon each year by public transport.The idea is to work with experienced international NGOs to build andoperate a world-class facility that brings Gabonese closer to nature, andplant seeds of caring by learning in fun ways. This center will be a nationaltraining center for ecoguides and the hospitality industry as well as amajor support for tourism.


VISION

VISIONVISION

Students will learn their science lessons straight from nature as they explore the Gabonese rainforest.The Rainforest Discovery Center will teach about biology and ecology through living forest exhibits featuring animals like crocodiles and turtles.

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RAINFOREST DISCOVERY CENTERFROM ABOVE THE TREES TO UNDER THE WATER

A new kind of family discovery center is proposed in the Akanda-MondahForest. It will bring people to the tops of great forest trees, down spiralstaircases into cutaway views of coastal streams, and into wooded trailsleading to the nearby shore. Activities will utilize international expertiseto create canopy walkways and intimate views of nature. The project hasa three-fold intent: 1) to bring tens of thousands of Gabonese school-children and families into nature for a high-quality experience, 2) to createunique activities for tourists that bring them close to wildlife in novelways, and 3) to function as a training center for tourism guides and thehospitality industry. Development for this center includes capacity-building programs for Gabonese citizens.

Designs for Akanda-Mondah highlight innovations in canopy walkways.Most canopy walks today essentially function as playgrounds wherechildren can romp, but wildlife is distant. The intent here is to create aseries of unique viewing areas along the trail, such as observation stationswith one-way glass that allows you to be a meter away from a hornbillwithout scaring it, or specialty bird feeders and butterfly feeders 50 metersup, to allow close views of creatures otherwise invisible against the sky.The idea is to use modern graphics and trained interpreters to showhow nature works, making a fun and exciting learning experience.

The plan should be multi-phased, with various segments suitable fordonor funding. Ideally the entire project would receive ongoing operatingsupport by corporate sponsors, to enable inexpensive access for Gabon'sschoolchildren and citizens.

Innovations in canopy walkways will allow people to see life in the treetops. This vision design uses Greenheart Conservation Corporation’s modern aluminum walkways.

Families can explore a life-size replica of a Humpback Whale skeleton (a huge marine mammal that migrates just off the coast of Gabon) and use telescopes to look for real whales migrating just offshore.Such assisted, self-guided learning is featured in the best European and American science museums and zoos.

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RIGHT: A dramatic entry reminiscent of a grandFrench 17th Century building is proposed forthe Rainforest Discovery Center, integrated intothe edge of native forest at Mondah. Tallcolumns covered in native orchids will standnext to forest trees. “Orphaned” orchids (thosethat have fallen from their treetop homes dueto logging) can be rescued and re-planted tothrive at Mondah’s new gateway.


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Le Palais des OrchidéesAerial walkways would bring people up to orchid-covered tops of native trees,a unique garden in the sky. New misting technology, used in citrus groves, makesthis possible. Industrial lifts from Paris would bring gardeners into the treetops for plant care.

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LE PALAIS DES ORCHIDéES CREATING A WORLD-FAMOUS BOTANIC GARDEN

An innovative 21st Century botanic garden - a garden designed forpeople - is proposed in the fragmented Okoumé forest north of the capitalcity as a part of the Emerald Arc. Imagine park lawns for relaxation,recreation and weekend picnics, used by thousands of people. Here,landscape designers envision lush green spaces surrounded by colorfulgroves of pink flowering trees covered by orange vines, or lines of palmsnative to Batéké trailed with blue flowered lianas, or even shady pergolaswoven with the rich textures of Gabon's rainforest leaves. Most of thegarden would be free for visitors, functioning as an official city park for arapidly growing urban center.

Unlike many botanic gardens created for plants, the emphasis herewill be to create a marvelous place for thousands of people. Africa'srainforest plants - some of the most beautiful and fascinating in the world -will be presented in forward thinking ways. Significant groves of theexisting biologically-rich native forest will be retained, and amended withlush new plantings of African vegetation to create a new showcase onAfrica's natural riches.

The focal point of the new botanic garden will be the innovative Palaisdes Orchidées (Orchid Palace), an indoor/outdoor pavilion at the edge ofnative forest that brings visitors into the treetops to see millions of wildorchids growing on branches. Here in this humid part of Gabon, with anatural richness of endemic orchids, moisture levels can be artificiallyincreased to grow a super-abundance of orchidsand canopy plants. The botanic gardenwould be covered with thousands ofGabonese orchids planted in distincttextures. Plants could come fromareas with regenerative logging.

Promoting African Rainforest Plants

Strangely, most ornamental plantings in Africa don't use African plants -possibly because they are not available. Why plant Bougainvilla fromthe South Pacific when you can plant more beautiful Combretum fromWonga-Wongue? One function of the botanic garden will be to showcaseAfrica’s most beautiful and biologically significant plants and make themavailable to new commercial nurseries in Gabon. A few native orchids andother plants are shown on this page.

BELOW: Why plant in traditional European fashion when modern tropical planting styles like thesefrom Brazil are possible, emphasizing textures and colors more than just flowers. For the botanicgarden, local African artists should be hired for designs, even employing local fabric patterns to makethe style truly Gabonese.


ABOVE: The Rainforest Open golf course is proposed to be built among the great buttress trees of Gabon's coastal forest. Each hole would be built in the sand mined areas and fit among remnant groves of existing native forest. “The Python” and other themed holes on the course could gain global attention.

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RECREATION FOR LIBREVILLEIMPROVING QUALITY OF URBAN LIFE FOR 21ST CENTURY

One way of improving life in the expanding capital city is to ensure accessto open space for recreation and relaxation. Creating a natural recreationcomplex like the proposed Emerald Arc will also provide constructionjobs and new commercial opportunities in adjacent developments.

Running through the Emerald Arc are a series of interconnectedwalking/running and biking paths as part of an integrated urban recreationplan built among fragments of Okoumé forest between Akanda NationalPark and the Mondah Forest. The master plan includes football/soccerfields, a unique golf course, and other sports areas, along with culturalattractions and children’s learning activities.

CREATING RAINFOREST RECREATION

Unique cultural attractions and recreational activities can be woven intothe Emerald Arc's green corridor. Subsidies are needed from corporate andprivate sources, in addition to individual donors. The result will be a livelyurban park for Gabonese citizens and international tourists to enjoy.

One proposal for children’s activities includes exploring animal powers.Children can visit various animal stations to try out the superior hearing,voices, and sight found in the animal world. Hidden sound amplifiersenable them to hear as well as a Red River Hog; amplifiers allow themthe chance to be loud like a Mandrill; and special magnified lenses showthem how an owl sees its prey. These ideas are modeled on popular andaward-winning children’s activities at the famed Bronx Zoo inNew York City.

LEFT: A vibrant complex of walking, jogging,and biking paths, sports fields, culturalattractions, and fun activity stations for childrenare linked into the green corridor of parks as partof the Emerald Arc. Biking corridors throughoutthe Emerald Arc will ensure safe paths after theCap Esterias road becomes filled with vehiclesdue to urban development.

RIGHT: Unlike many nations’ city parks, which aremanmade recreations of nature, Gabon’s proposedEmerald Arc preserves natural forest.

13 NATIONAL PARKS ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND

A unique playground in the Emerald Arc would link with a series of funchildren's play activity areas, each symbolic of one of Gabon's newnational parks. The idea is to impart urban children, from early ages, withstrong positive memories of each park. It will be so much fun they willwant to learn more about each park and later visit the real parks.

Potential activities for each park:

Akanda - Explore a mangrove maze

Batéké - Slide down a cliff

Birougou - Play an interactive Sun-tailed Monkey foraging game

Ivindo - Play a matching game to identify resident gorillas at Langoue Bai

Loango - Ride the bouncing surfing hippo surfboard, hear like a hog

Lopé - Act like a Mandrill on the jungle/savanna playgym

Mayumba - Hide in a giant Leatherback Turtle shell

Minkebe - Climb the mini inselberg with handholds and slides

Moukalaba Doudou - Swing on deep forest vines

Monts de Cristal - Run through the cloud forest mist maze

Mwagna - Explore hornbill biology: climb up inside the head to lookat the world from above, then slide down inside beak to come out at thebird’s feet

Pongara - Play in a giant Hammerkop nest treehouse (with plastic beaksattached to side – stick your face against them for a photo)

Waka - Navigate a cave with stalagmite obstacles and tiny spaces to crawlthrough, highlighted with fun touchable insects

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Documents

KEY FACTS - Changemakers€¦ · CAP SANTA CLARA CAP ESTERIAS POINTE BOLOUKOUBOUÉ POINTE AKANDA Ambo c h o u Corsico Bay Mondah Bay A military site is on the western side of the