Brainforest Gabon

Brainforest is a Gabonese environmental non-governmental organization founded in 1998. It works in Gabon and across the Congo Basin to inform, train and support stakeholders in the sustainable and equitable management of natural resources. Its activities span eight provinces and address issues affecting forest landscapes across the country.

Brainforest promotes forest protection, biodiversity conservation and stronger governance, while advocating for the rights and participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities. Its work includes supporting community involvement in decisions about their territories, encouraging transparent and accountable management of natural resources, and advancing equitable access to conservation and climate finance. The organization also engages in regional civil-society collaboration and advocacy, bringing together communities, experts, institutions and partners to address challenges such as illegal resource exploitation and weak enforcement of forest laws.

Its approaches, reflected in regional discussions, include independent observation, participatory mapping, forest co-management and community conservation initiatives. Brainforest’s mission is to help ensure that environmental protection supports both healthy ecosystems and the well-being and rights of the people who depend on them. The organization has received recognition including the 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize awarded to Marc Ona