kEY FaCts

KEY Facts
akanda national park
Date created: 2002
area: 540 km2
Highest peak: 60 m
Habitat: Mangroves, Mudflats, Coastal
Waters, Coastal Thickets, Hyperhumld Coastal
Forest
Province: Estuaire
Nearest towns: Libreville, Ntoum,
Cocobeach
Nearest airport: Libreville/Léon Mba
Status: Ramsar site (2007)
38 akanda national park
akanda
NATIONAL PARK
and the libreville area
OPPORTUNITY FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT
The peninsula north of Libreville, adjacent to Akanda
National Park, provides significant opportunities
for long-term benefit to the nation. The Park’s
strategic site can benefit Libreville with recreation and
sustained fisheries reproduction, while also offering
potential as an anchor for a series of green spaces
that could become an important driving force for
Libreville’s future economic growth and quality of life.
An urban design plan for lands near the Park can integrate innovative and
profitable development with open spaces. With proper planning, Libreville can
experience greater economic growth while becoming a model for 21st Century
African urbanism with increased quality of life. Herein government investment in
circulation (roads, siting for low-impact sewage systems) and other elements for
urban infrastructure (siting for schools, retail, villages) is possible as Libreville
grows. Integrating forest preservation and sustainable construction into
development of the proposed “Emerald Arc” will further enhance opportunity for
profit and 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 will become 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 in Libreville, where they will want to
experience authentic Gabonese culture and 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 now so
that future residents will enjoy an increased standard of living that includes healthy green spaces.
akanda NATIONAL PARK 39
AKANDA
Phase ONE Development
Tangles of mangrove roots serve as
a protective nursery for juveniles of
barracuda, skipper, and most of the
other marine fish that people eat.
The park is also important
for artisanal fishing.
An island in the Park is home to
hundreds of immigrants.
Mondah Bay
Akanda has seasonally one of Africa’s largest
remaining populations of African Skimmers.
Pointe Akanda
Small numbers of
monkeys still exist
in the National
Park.
Tiny islands in the National Park
are valuable roosting places
for migrant shorebirds, the only
places the birds can go at
high tide.
The mud flats at Akanda
are among the most
important in all Africa for
shorebirds migrating from
Europe.
Malimbé 2 village is sited
near the fluctuating tidal
waters.
Ambocho
u
Small numbers of manatees
still exist in the Park, but
face pressure from immigrant
hunters.
Pointe Boloukouboué
Corsico Bay
Multicolored killifish swim in the
freshwater shallows — one species is
found only here.
The north forests are the sole
place in Gabon where several
rare orchids are found.
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.
Cap Estérias
Nature trails in the Mondah Forest (a
forest reserve) will serve thousands
more people as the city expands and
gets closer.
A new road system will bring
people into the capital quickly
from the north.
Cap Santa Clara
Cap Estérias with its existing
restaurants will become
an increasingly important
weekend destination.
40 akanda national park
A military site is on the western
side of the penninsula.
Certain ancient palms and other
plants need high humidity and can
be found in Gabon only in Mondah
and the coast to Akanda.
akanda
national park
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.
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.
Pottery found in the Sabilière area
is testament to rich prehistory in the
area.
INTEGRATE parks INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Multiple current land uses and urban development opportunities embellish
the expanding northern edge of the capital. Akanda National Park plays a
critical role in fisheries reproduction to guarantee food security for future
generations, as well as providing recreational space for residents of Libreville.
Additionally, the Park protects one of Africa’s important shorebird flocks.
An entrance to the Park is needed to increase accessiblity for the people of
Libreville.
The western Mondah Forest with its great trees, nature trails, and
beach access has potential as an innovative urban park. Forests here are
considered sacred and have cultural importance to Myéne peoples.
North and west forests are biologically valuable as home to orchids
and other rare plants, thanks to high humidity near the ocean at the
penninsula’s end.
LIBREVILLE
N
A large development is
proposed for the Sabilière
and waterfront areas.
POTENTIAL FOR URBAN PARKS
The partially logged, partially excavated east central part of the peninsula
offers great opportunity for urban development, which will be more
valuable to citizens and more profitable for investors if it becomes part of
a development plan that incorporates open spaces. Envisioned here are
a “green” rainforest airport, botanic garden, urban parks, a golf course,
and other recreational opportunities for the capital, as well as a biological
sewage treatment system (in existing sand excavations). Future homes and
workplaces for the growing populace of Libreville can all be integrated in the
area if built in accordance with a comprehensive urban masterplan.
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.
Opportunities for tourism near the
city exist along the shore.
akanda national park 41
AKANDA
While many of the larger
animals have disappeared
so close to the city, large
numbers of grosbeaks,
sunbirds, and other
beautiful species remain.
RARE BIRD CONCENTRATIONS
One of Africa’s largest populations of African Skimmers rests on the tidal
flats at Akanda. At low tide, hundreds of hectares of exposed muds
provide food for thousands of European shorebirds; it’s one of the most
important places for these migrants to Central Africa (30,000 in January).
RARE PLANTS
A number of palms and other ancient plants that live here (28 species
are found nowhere else in Gabon, some of which nowhere else in Africa)
evolved at an epoch of high humidity in Africa, and still survive today in
the forests of Akanda/Mondah thanks to the very high rainfall (3,000 to
3,500 mm/year). Special orchids, needing such humid conditions, live only
here in Gabon amongst other epiphytic plants on the mossy branches of
this unique coastal forest. Phyllobotryon spathulatum, whose flowers appear
on the central nerve of the leaf, is found only in a few coastal places in the
Gulf of Guinea. Akanda’s many beautiful orchids need the special air of the
peninsula to survive.
TOP LEFT: Populations of the elegant African Skimmer are dropping quickly. Akanda is one of the most
important refuges for the species, with groups of up to 1,200 individuals observed regularly
from November to April.
BELOW LEFT: With every rising tide, thousands of shorebirds seek refuge at “two tree island” in
the National Park. However, much of the time the island is occupied instead by immigrant fishermen
whose 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 important
to find another place for fishermen to rest so the birds can return to their island.
RIGHT: Birders will look for the Loango
Weaver at Akanda. It is a coastal bird
found only from Gabon to Angola.
BELOW: Migrant Curlews and
Curlew Sandpipers join thousands of
other Eurasian shorebirds on transit
or wintering in Akanda National Park.
A special observation hide in the park
will help park guests get close to
these charismatic birds.
above: The high humidity of the Akanda/
Mondah peninsula favors
luxuriant orchid growth.
42 akanda national park
AKANDA BIODIVERSITY
The Akanda area provides important renewable natural resources for
Libreville. The mangrove forests around Libreville, both here and at
Pongara, serve as important nurseries for juveniles of many ocean fishes
eaten by people in the city. Park creation protects these mangroves, assuring
food for people far into the future. Akanda’s mudflats are one of Africa’s
most important wintering places for thousands of migrant European
shorebirds, as well as African species. Additionally, small numbers of
Talapoin and other monkeys — and even African Manatee — still live in
the mangrove tangles. Sea turtles coming from as far away as Brazil feed in
seaweed beds in rocky parts of the bay.
UNIQUE PLANTS IN THESE FORESTS
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.
Exceptionally damp coastal forests along the north edge of this peninsula,
from the Mondah Forest into Akanda, nourish many plants growing only
here in Gabon, requiring extra moisture from the sea. These include rare
orchids, palms, and other plants (plus several butterflies and a brightly
colored killifish). This is a special place where fresh water streams are tidal,
fluctuating daily from pressures of saltwater tides, creating unique conditions
for life. But these forests are under considerable development pressure from
the expanding city. Part of the Mondah forest was degazetted to meet needs
for concrete sand and the growing city. It is predicted that at current rates,
the entire biologically-rich forest between Mondah and Akanda will be gone
in just a few years. Select parts of this forest can be protected as the city grows
closer – optimally by integrating profitable urban development with a corridor
of protected forests to create the proposed “Emerald Arc” (see pages 29-30) of
native forest patches forming connected urban green spaces.
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.
Fisherman in pirogues catch some fish right
here but mangroves’ greater biological value
is to produce a quantity of marine fish. Rouge,
Capitain, Barracuda and many ocean fishes
spent their first years in mangroves, protected by
tangles of roots. No mangroves = no fish
for Libreville.
akanda national park 43
AKANDA
mANGROVE RICHES
Facilitating Tourism at Akanda
A cluster of concessions could be established around a new entrance tower
for the National Park. Some areas can be protected with high-tech roof
coverings that allow soft light to enter but keep out rain, to retain an
outdoor feeling and receive maximum usage by visitors. A material called
Ondoline uses organic fibers, and another called Kalwall is 20% recycled
material. Both have good properties for rot and mold resistance.
vision
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helping local bird
populations
vision
above: If located properly, a new park
entry tower can stimulate park tourism surrounded by kayak rentals, restaurants, and
other commercial resources for park users.
Besides supporting populations
of Loango Weavers, found only
from Gabon to Angola, Akanda is
an important wintering land for
thousands of waders from Europe
and Asia. Protection of the tiny
“two tree island” in the park is
critical. Birds are easily scared
when an unknowing fisherman
lands at this solitary island during
high tide (a time when the birds
have come to the island for refuge).
far LEFT: Fishermen on “two tree island”
inadvertently frighten birds from their
safe roosts.
left: A covered observatory on the island would
enable close views of thousands of migrant
sandpipers at high tide. The proposed structure
visually hides people, and wooden decoys
help the birds feel safe. To prevent disturbing
migratory populations, the observa-tory must be
built while the birds are in Europe.
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44 akanda national park
above: Akanda is perfect for kayakers. The
waters are extensive yet small enough that
foreigners in kayaks can’t easily get lost.
al
Nat
3N
a
iona
utic
g On
ly
The waters of Akanda are important
feeding grounds for rare sea turtles.
ile
al M
s–
Arti
s
lF
ana
ishi
Park Infrastructure
Village zone
Off limits zone (4)
Entry
NO GO zone
BUFFER ZONE (5)
Buffer
Transportation
Airstrip
H
Concessionaire Zone (2)
CONCESSION
minor road
unimproved
Proposed Hotel
H (Site to be Found)
Proposed Road
Trail
c
Proposed
Camp site
While Akanda is mostly mangroves,
patches of high humid forest have their
own special ecosystems.
Major road
Proposed
hotel site
h
C Existing hotel
Humid Forest
URBAN PARKS FOR PEOPLE
(1A)
research
Mondah Forest
e
O
p
Village ZONE (3)
Patrol
Proposed for the capital area is an “Emerald
Arc”of linked urban open spaces connecting
Mondah Forest and Akanda National Park.
5 km
Buffer Zone
Park Area
Office
emerald arc
The magnificent Mondah Forest, although
under constant development pressure, still
holds important biodiversity. An innovative
education center is planned here.
airstrip
Gabon Parks (1)
nly
ng O
5 km
Buffer Zone
AREAS OF AKANDA
KEY
Turtle Feeding Grounds
Existing camp site
Proposed TRAIL
Train
Train Station
Mudflats
The Park has two main biological areas: coastal forest in the north and
mangroves extending around the bay toward the city to the south. The
mangroves are a major fish production area for marine fisheries and also
support local fishermen. In time, possible limits on foreign fisherman living
within the park will need to be addressed.
As Libreville inevitably expands to the north, the opportunity exists to form
a comprehensive urban design plan for the peninsula, with creation of open
space linking Akanda National Park and the Mondah Forest. A corridor
of outdoor activities called the “Emerald Arc” is proposed for this area.
This alternative to unplanned urban sprawl maximizes the opportunity for
private investment and government planning.
Vast mudflats in the tidal areas of
the park serve as an important feeding
place for thousands of migrating
shorebirds.
H
A new Parcs Gabon entry site is proposed to overlook park waters and
encourage activities from boating and exploring in the park, to enjoying
restaurants, recreational areas, botanic gardens, family activities, and other
functions important for high quality of life in a great 21st Century capital.
Libreville residents and tourists will come by vehicle. A new access road and
entrance is important for them to easily find the park. Current access by
pirogue from Charbonage or Malibé is inadequate.
INHABITED ISLAND
Two small islands in the park
are home to communities of
Nigerian fisherman.
libreville: the hub for tourism
As the site of international business — with a major airport and many hotels,
bars, restaurants, and taxis — Libreville is already Gabon’s visitor hub. Most
tourists will begin and end their trip in Libreville. To maximize Gabon’s
potential for tourism, more visitor activities and resources are needed in
the area, such as the Rainforest Discovery Center, Museum of Arts and
Cultures, and other urban recreation areas proposed here.
Mangroves
5 km
Buffer Zone
Dense mangroves provide a nursery
for many fish species that support the
local fishing economy.
urban expansion
The peninsula north of Libreville is
under tremendous pressure from the
expanding urban population.
Manatees
A few manatees still survive in
Akanda, but they face severe
hunting pressure.
park entry needed
A new park entry is needed, with
access to the main road from
Libreville.
R
N
eop
0
5
Km
10
akanda national park 45
AKANDA
6
tic
Nau
s–
Mile
hin
l Fis
Expanded facilities at Cap Estérias
Upper/mid/low income housing for thousands
cap esterias
parkside “green” houses and condominiums for
varying income levels
Logging and sand mining are already underway
Developed land adjacent to parks is valuable
mondah forest
rainforest discovery
center extends from
existing road to sea
“green” airport
botanic garden and 13
parks recreation area
Recreation for Libreville and tourists
Children’s Discovery Center at Mondah
parkside “green” houses and condominiums for
varying income levels
luxury housing
next to golf course
18 hole forest golf course
& country club
Traditional ceremonies at Myéné forest groves
46 akanda national park
The proposed “Rainforest Open” golf course
environmentally safe sewage and
wastewater treatment facilities
protect land and water around
airport
URBAN PLANNING TO STIMULTATE PROFITABLE
INVESTMENT AND RECREATION FOR LIBREVILLE
akanda national park
parcs gabon national
headquarters
akanda national park
entry and offices
A new National Park entry complex is needed
A shorebird observatory proposed for the park
A sustainable urban design plan is needed for Libreville as it expands into
the northern peninsula. The use of a development plan will maximize the
interface between developed and park areas — benefitting both developers
and nature. This is more profitable than urban sprawl, and will increase the
quality of life for Gabon’s people. Increased investment opportunities can be
had if plans integrate a green corridor for urban recreation and open space.
As proven in major cities around the world (Paris, London, New York, and
Los Angeles), real estate values are considerably higher for land overlooking
parks, open land, and recreational space.
It is evident that most fragments of former Okoumé forests in the center
of the peninsula will disappear as the capital migrates north, requiring sand
for cement and space for development. The sketch at left suggests alternative
development for the area, a profitable plan that retains many biologically
valuable forest fragments as part of a green corridor that encourages urban
development.
The proposed new “green” airport for Libreville
Modern “green” design for sewage treatment
Wide parkways/bus lanes, not crowded roads
Waterways remains clean and unpolluted
Proposed for the capital area is an “Emerald Arc”of linked urban open spaces
connecting Mondah Forest and Akanda National Park. This crescent of
parks and indoor/outdoor cultural facilities includes innovative recreational
areas, biofiltration systems, and an urban parkway for streamlined access
downtown. The arc can retain existing patches of native forest and integrate
into profitable condominium and house developments — urban “villages”
with schools, restaurants, shopping, and other city needs.
In the 19th Century, Napoleon and Baron Hausman rebuilt Paris, creating
the great boulevards and investment opportunities that make Paris grand
and liveable today. They created modern Paris with a successful blueprint,
and Libreville can do the same through careful study and a comprehensive
urban design plan. Parisian urban planning offices have this expertise.
As Frederick Law Olmsted did with Boston’s Emerald Necklace in the
Unites States, Gabon’s Emerald Arc will link multiple green zones between
Mondah Forest and Akanda National Park, creating urban spaces that retain
healthy amounts of green.
In 2010 a budget was allocated to the implementation of this Emerald Arc
project. Preliminary studies started in 2011.
A new botanic garden and “Orchid Palace”
Rare orchids and other rare plants protected
akanda national park 47
AKANDA
CREATING “THE EMERALD ARC”
vision
WCS & cresolus
Tourism Potential for City Sites
Tourists will need places to stay near the capital, for the days surrounding
their arrival to and departure from Gabon. Places with open views of
forest and water near Akanda, Mondah, and Pongara provide perfect sites
for tourists to be both in nature and near the capital. The vision is that
visitors can explore the proposed Rainforest Discovery Center, Museum of
Culture and Arts, and Botanic Garden. Kayaking in Akanda National Park
and shopping in Libreville can also fill the days. Tourist activities in the
capital area will provide jobs for the people of Gabon.
TOP: Beautiful beaches can be found near
Cap Esterias and Libreville. Increased tourism
at Cap Esterias and around protected lands of
Mondah Forest can help increase the nation’s
tax base and provide concession funds to help
support parks.
above: Although much of the beautiful Mondah
Forest north of Libreville is disappearing, there
are still many plant species and clusters of
biologically important trees worth saving.
LEFT: Much tourism business near the capital will
be a thriving restaurant industry.
right: A new restaurant can use recycled
“turtlewood” logs for décor, building to
protect turtles.
48 akanda national park
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ECONOMIC advantages
Development on the peninsula to the north of Libreville can maximize
benefit to the local people, environment, and economy if planned properly.
Real estate at the edge of open space and park land is often the most
valuable. Hence urban planning for the area can maximize the edge by
creating networks of open spaces in the existing fragmented forest lands.
A meandering edge offers more frontage and hence more valuable parkside
real estate. For example, attractive lagoons can be created in places already
excavated for sand.
Residential communities built around schools, stores, and offices will
minimize automobile use and allow children to safely walk to school.
A transportation corridor can be built to the central city to minimize
traffic tie-ups. Open space can be designed to incorporate biological
filtration systems so that this area of the city won’t need expensive sewage
treatment plants. The community can be profitable — a model for 21st
Century African urbanism. To accomplish such a goal, a comprehensive
urban plan is needed.
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Dense middle-income housing can be green too.
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High-rent villas can overlook these natural-looking wetlands.
above and left: Land near parks, water views, and other
open space is highly valuable real estate. International
developers build golf courses and other open spaces
in order to create opportunities for profitable
development. It is possible to plan ahead for this kind
of development rather than allow uncontrolled urban
sprawl, which doesn’t increase land value or quality
of life.
RIGHT: The forest is already being cut down to remove
sand for construction and create cleared spaces for
Libreville to expand. Why not do a planned expansion that
includes green spaces? The idea is to maximize the length
of developable land adjacent to open space, to increase area
for profitable development.
akanda national park 49
AKANDA
the argument for PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
vision
The Rainforest Airport
the World’s First “Green” Airport
Libreville plans to move the existing international airport to free up city
land and to make air travel safer. If a new airport is to be constructed, why
not build it as an instantly recognizeable icon for Gabon — the Rainforest
Airport. It can be the first “green” airport, by building around existing trees
for shade to reduce air conditioning needs, and directing water runoff into
a biological filtration system. By recapturing oil and other runoff in special
traps, the airport would prevent petroleum from entering nearby Akanda
National Park, where oil would damage the mangroves needed for fisheries
production.
The existing airport occupies valuable land in the
city center — a dangerous airport site.
Modern services such as routinely updated flight
information boards are needed.
The design is inspired by distinctive shapes of
Gabon’s buttress trees, some 500 years old.
Native birds and other wildlife can live here too.
In addition to modern security systems and more comfortable waiting
areas, the new airport should provide user-friendly services such as changing
information boards, easy on-site visa approvals, and less crowding. It should
also accommodate larger planes with increased capacity for expanding
tourism.
WCS & cresolus
The Rainforest Airport would help impart a sense of national identity the moment visitors arrive.
vision
50 akanda national park
The areas mined for sand in the forested patches north of Libreville have
great potential as places to build biological filtration systems for urban
sewage. This would result in Gabon not having to invest in expensive
primary filtration plants, which creates huge operating costs to the
government later. Water catchment “marshes” would be built for filtration,
surrounded by urban building lots for private development.
This low-maintenance cost system has proven successful elsewhere.
grey water
filter and
surge tank
patches of native trees
are retained and protected
Water flows into
manmade “wetlands”
with thick native
vegetation
Below-ground
septic Tanks catch
initial sewage from
buildings
CREATING AN ECOLOGICALLY-FRIENDLY capital
A comprehensive plan for the peninsula can create “green” subdivisions and
even the world’s first sustainable airport, sending much of its effluent into
naturalistic biological filtration systems rather than into urban sewers (or
worse, into Akanda National Park and the ocean where Gabon’s food comes
from). Development can be built around clumps of existing shade trees,
reducing the need for air conditioning. With reduced energy consumption,
operational costs to the government are reduced.
We live in an increasing era where global populations increasingly pour
into cities in search of job opportunities, but this urban immigration often
creates seemingly unsolveable problems with overcrowding, congested
traffic, 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.
black water
anaerobic
treatment
tank
weed filtration/ wetlands
wetlands
“Green” Airport in a “Green” City
Sewage goes from each building into a series of underground septic tanks built in the sandy soils
here. Partly-cleaned water would then move into manmade marshlands filled with thick wetlands
vegetation able to pull excess nutrients out of the water, creating clean water.
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The proposed Rainforest Airport will strategically position Gabon for
tourism by standing out in a crowd of homogenous international airports.
Not only would this new atmosphere excite arriving travelers, but the
airport itself would be an attraction. Shops and restaurants would increase
opportunities for profit in this remarkable space.
If a new airport is to be built, 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.
akanda national park 51
AKANDA
Inexpensive Alternative to City Sewage Plant
Left: George Mbourou’s 2007 painting was
inspired by the traditions and landscape of
Lopé, Gabon’s first World Heritage Site.
below left: Gabon’s vibrant culture is brought
to life in a novel virtual museum and book at
www.gabonart.com, a precursor to the proposed
museum.
images right: The striking blue-haired figure is
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
the museum’s design. Ceremonial items from
each cultural group, like this Vuvi “Muhunzu”
dance mask, could be displayed in conjunction
with imagery and music in energetic, multidimensional exhibits.
above: Imagine a great hall of traditional dance, with music all around and images projected on
full-sized raffia-covered marquettes, seeming to swirl with life.
52 akanda national park
above: Vibrant museum designs should be based on arts and oral traditions — energized by motion, music, and sound.
right: Ancient Gabonese traditions persist in
modern Gabon. The museum should be designed
to capture the vibrant essence of Gabon past and
present.
A NEW museum of art & cultures
Imagine a new museum, unlike any other, with collections of powerfully
beautiful African objects integrated with new techologies that integrate
sound, static and projected images, music, dance, and historical objects
to bring Gabon’s culture alive. A new art and culture center could present
Gabon’s rich traditions and history intertwined with elements of the
rainforest — just as nature weaves through Gabonese cultures. Part of the
museum could make use of rainforest trees, using natural color, cooling and
shade in an eco-friendly, sustainable design.
left: Visitors will be excited to learn about
sculptures like this lively Obamba (Mboy)
reliquary figure.
This innovative new museum is proposed as a tourist attraction for Libreville,
Gabon’s tourism hub. Such a museum would showcase national pride, and
offer a significant resource for cultural tourism in Gabon. The museum could
be constructed in one of two places: a prominent downtown location to
stimulate business at nearby restaurants and shops, or in the proposed Emerald
Arc.
vision
The idea of an iconic museum is based on the success of signature museums
elsewhere. Spain’s Bilbao Museum has almost one million visitors per
year. The new National Museum of the American Indian attracts millions
to Washington, DC. And Parisian tourism is, of course, dependent on
great museums, with the new Quai Branly Museum drawing twice as many
visitors as expected. The popularity of the Branly’s exhibits on African
art demonstrates a global interest in African culture. Yet Africa’s only
internationally known cultural museum is in Egypt.
Gabon has a start with the National Museum of Arts and Traditions
in Libreville, as well as Gabon’s intriguing new Virtual Museums (gabonart.
com). Initial support by influential Gabonese and a well organized and
subsidized management plan could stimulate global donor support.
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Plans for an innovative Gabonese model culture
village intends to keep traditions alive. This can
contribute to activites in the Emerald Arc — the
display can possibly integrate with the proposed
National Museum of Art and Culture.
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Celebrating tradition and promoting tourism
far right: Gabonese artist George Mbourou
and his African Mother Nature symbol, Africa’s
emblem at the 2005 Universal Exhibition in Aichi,
Japan.
The visitors’ Rainforest Discovery Center experience will take people from the treetops to the
sea in novel ways that show how nature works.
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vision
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The Rainforest Discovery Center will teach about biology and ecology through living forest exhibits featuring animals like crocodiles and turtles.
Students will learn their science lessons straight from nature as they explore the Gabonese rainforest.
Rainforest Discovery Center
Imagine a “super nature center” in the forest, accessible to thousands
of Gabonese people for adventures in fun and learning. The Rainforest
Discovery Center is proposed to be sited less than an hour from the capital
and accessible to more than 75% of Gabon each year by public transport.
The idea is to work with experienced international NGOs to build and
operate a world-class facility that brings Gabonese closer to nature, and
plant seeds of caring by learning in fun ways. This center will be a national
training center for ecoguides and the hospitality industry as well as a major
support for tourism.
above: The existing nature trails at Mondah
Forest are much loved but need more durable
materials and a new system of regular
maintenance, possible by creating a high-profile
center with a full operations budget.
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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
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vision
A new kind of family discovery center is proposed in the Akanda-Mondah
Forest. It will bring people to the tops of great forest trees, down spiral
staircases into cutaway views of coastal streams, and into wooded trails
leading to the nearby shore. Activities will utilize international expertise
to create canopy walkways and intimate views of nature. The project has
a three-fold intent: 1) to bring tens of thousands of Gabonese schoolchildren and families into nature for a high-quality experience, 2) to create
unique activities for tourists that bring them close to wildlife in novel
ways, and 3) to function as a training center for tourism guides and the
hospitality 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 where
children can romp, but wildlife is distant. The intent here is to create a
series of unique viewing areas along the trail, such as observation stations
with one-way glass that allows you to be a meter away from a hornbill
without scaring it, or specialty bird feeders and butterfly feeders 50 meters
up, to allow close views of creatures otherwise invisible against the sky. The
idea is to use modern graphics and trained interpreters to show
how nature works, making a fun and exciting learning experience.
The plan should be multi-phased, with various segments suitable for
donor funding. Ideally the entire project would receive ongoing operating
support by corporate sponsors, to enable inexpensive access for Gabon’s
schoolchildren and citizens.
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Innovations in canopy walkways will allow people to see life in the treetops. This vision design uses Greenheart Conservation Corporation’s modern aluminum walkways.
vision
right: A dramatic entry reminiscent of a grand
French 17th Century building is proposed for the
Rainforest Discovery Center, integrated into the
edge of native forest at Mondah. Tall columns
covered in native orchids will stand next to forest
trees. “Orphaned” orchids (those that have fallen
from their treetop homes due to logging) can be
rescued and re-planted to thrive at Mondah’s
new gateway.
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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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FROM above THE TREES TO UNDER THE WATER
Le Palais des Orchidées
Aerial 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, makes
this possible. Industrial lifts from Paris would bring gardeners into the treetops for plant care.
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LE PALAIS DES ORCHIDéES
An innovative 21st Century botanic garden — a garden designed for
people — is proposed in the fragmented Okoumé forest north of the capital
city 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 colorful groves
of pink flowering trees covered by orange vines, or lines of native palms
trailed with blue flowered lianas, or even shady pergolas woven with the
rich textures of Gabon’s rainforest leaves. Most of the garden would be free
for visitors, functioning as an official city park for a rapidly growing urban
center.
Promoting African Rainforest Plants
Strangely, most ornamental plantings in Africa don’t use African plants — possibly
because they are not available. Why plant Bougainvilla from the South Pacific when
you can plant more beautiful Combretum from Wonga-Wongue? One function
of the botanic garden will be to showcase Africa’s most beautiful and biologically
significant plants and make them available to new commercial nurseries in Gabon.
A few native orchids and other plants are shown on this page.
below: Why plant in traditional European fashion when modern tropical planting styles like these from
Brazil are possible, emphasizing textures and colors more than just flowers. For the botanic garden, local
African artists should be hired for designs, even employing local fabric patterns to make the style truly
Gabonese.
Unlike many botanic gardens created for plants, the emphasis here
will be to create a marvelous place for thousands of people. Africa’s
rainforest plants — some of the most beautiful and fascinating in the
world — will be presented in forward thinking ways. Significant groves
of the existing biologically-rich native forest will be retained, and amended
with lush new plantings of African vegetation to create a new showcase on
Africa’s natural riches.
The focal point of the new botanic garden will be the innovative Palais
des Orchidées (Orchid Palace), an indoor/outdoor pavilion at the edge of
native forest that brings visitors into the treetops to see millions of wild
orchids growing on branches. Here in this humid part of Gabon, with a
natural richness of endemic orchids, moisture
levels can be artificially increased to grow a
super-abundance of orchids and canopy
plants. The botanic garden would be
covered with thousands of Gabonese
orchids planted in distinct textures.
Plants could come from areas with
regenerative logging.
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CREATING A WORLD-famous BOTANIC GARDEN
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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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13 national parks adventure Playground
RECREATION FOR LIBREVILLE
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IMPROVING QUALITY OF URBAN LIFE FOR 21ST CENTURY
One way of improving life in the expanding capital city is to ensure access
to open space for recreation and relaxation. Creating a natural recreation
complex like the proposed Emerald Arc will also provide construction
jobs and new commercial opportunities in adjacent developments.
Potential activities for each park:
Akanda - Explore a mangrove maze
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Plateaux Batéké - Slide down a cliff
Monts Birougou - Play an interactive Sun-tailed Monkey foraging game
Ivindo - Play a matching game to identify resident gorillas at Langoue Bai
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Loango - Ride the bouncing surfing hippo surfboard, hear like a hog
Creating Rainforest Recreation
Lopé - Act like a Mandrill on the jungle/savanna playgym
Unique cultural attractions and recreational activities can be woven into
the Emerald Arc’s green corridor. Subsidies are needed from corporate and
private sources, in addition to individual donors. The result will be a lively
urban park for Gabonese citizens and international tourists to enjoy.
Mayumba - Hide in a giant Leatherback Turtle shell
Minkébé - Climb the mini inselberg with handholds and slides
Moukalaba Doudou - Swing on deep forest vines
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Monts de Cristal - Run through the cloud forest mist maze
Mwagna - Explore hornbill biology: climb up inside the head to look
at the world from above, then slide down inside beak to come out at the
bird’s feet
Running through the Emerald Arc are a series of interconnected walking/
running and biking paths as part of an integrated urban recreation plan built
among fragments of Okoumé forest between Akanda National Park and the
Mondah Forest. The master plan includes football/soccer fields, a unique
golf course, and other sports areas, along with cultural attractions and
children’s learning activities.
vision
Pongara - Play in a giant Hammerkop nest treehouse (with plastic beaks
attached to side-stick your face against them for a photo)
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 amplifiers enable
them to hear as well as a Red River Hog; amplifiers allow them the chance
to be loud like a Mandrill; and special magnified lenses show them how an
owl sees its prey. These ideas are modeled on popular and award-winning
children’s activities at the famed Bronx Zoo in New York City.
Waka - Navigate a cave with stalagmite obstacles and tiny spaces to crawl
through, highlighted with fun touchable insects
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LEFT: A vibrant complex of walking, jogging,
and biking paths, sports fields, cultural attractions,
and fun activity stations for children are linked into
the green corridor of parks as part of the Emerald
Arc. Biking corridors throughout the Emerald
Arc will ensure safe paths after the Cap Estérias
road becomes filled with vehicles due to urban
development.
right: Unlike many nations’ city parks, which are
manmade recreations of nature, Gabon’s proposed Emerald
Arc preserves natural forest.
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A unique playground in the Emerald Arc would link with a series of fun
children’s play activity areas, each symbolic of one of Gabon’s new
national parks. The idea is to impart urban children, from early ages, with
strong positive memories of each park. It will be so much fun they will want
to learn more about each park and later visit the real parks.