Biodiversity

Sao Tomé et Principe is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity and submitted its Fourth National Report on Biological Diversity in 2009. It has also established a National Strategy and Action Plan for Biodiversity Conservation of Fauna, Flora and Protected Areas to address the preservation of natural ecosystems. The Law on the Conservation of Fauna, Flora and Protected Areas addresses the conservation of ecosystems that are considered to be national treasures and the heritage of humanity.

Despite the importance of biodiversity to the socioeconomic development of the country, biodiversity conservation is not a priority for the government and natural resources are poorly managed. Although almost 60% of the land area of the country is comprised of relatively dense forest, the unsustainable extraction of wood for fuel and housing construction and the encroachment of local subsistence farmers on forest land to open it for cultivation are potential threats to forests. The clearing of forest land will result, in the short term, in a loss to the diversity of species and habitats and in soil erosion, and in the long term lead to mutation of ecosystems and climate. National parks covering all areas of primary forest of Sao Tomé et Principe, as well as other areas considered to have very fragile ecosystems, have the fundamental objective to preserve, conserve and protect forest ecosystems therein, as well as to protect animal species, plants and threatened habitats. To achieve this, authorities have declared 30% of the national territory as an area for conservation and preservation of natural resources therein.