YOKADOUMA, CAMEROON - JUNE 04: Newly created logging roads are bring man and agricultural cultivation further into the forest of Cameroon than ever before, Yokadouma, Cameroon, June 4, 2010. This is severely threatening the great forests of the Congo Basin, one of the last great Forest reserves in the world. The Congo Basin forests cover an area the combined size of France and South Africa. The forests of Cameroon form a large part of this basin. Still relatively intact and connected, these forest ecosystems and freshwater systems are home to abundant wildlife and provide food, shelter, clean water and protection against floods to more than 75 million people. The economic value of these systems is enormous. Timber alone is worth several Billion Euros annually to the Forest industry, while minerals are also being heavily exploited. The importance of the Congo Basin as a global, natural reservoir to store Carbon is also massive. CO2 emissions from deforestation of this region could be devastating for agriculture and water resources. The challenges for Cameroon are enormous. If social and economic development needs are to be met, then development will have to be sustainable. (Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Getty Images News Brent Stirton