Digital Tracker: How Congo Uses Artificial Intelligence to Protect Its Forests

Brazzaville. The Republic of Congo has launched the first artificial intelligence-based tropical forest monitoring system in Central Africa, named “Forest Guardian.” This system analyzes satellite imagery in real time to detect illegal logging, fires, and changes in forest cover with 95% accuracy.

The project was jointly developed by Congolese programmers from the Brazzaville Technopark and researchers from the University of Cambridge. The neural network is trained to recognize 17 types of offenses, ranging from loggers’ activities to the construction of illegal roads. When a threat is detected, the system automatically sends the coordinates and photos to forest rangers and law enforcement.

“Before, detecting illegal logging took weeks, now it only takes a few minutes,” explains the project leader, Dr. Alain Mbalou. “We have already prevented the destruction of 500 hectares of forest in the Sangha department.”

The system also predicts risks: it analyzes data on soil moisture, temperature, and human activity to identify areas at risk of fire. The integration of drones to verify data and the installation of smart sensors on “sentinel” trees are planned.

The project is funded by “green bonds” issued by the Congolese government and a grant from the World Bank. By 2026, the system is expected to cover the entire Congo Basin, becoming an essential tool for protecting the world’s second-largest rainforest.