The Sangha Trinational area is an important conservation area in central Africa. More than 4.5 million hectares in total, 17% of the area is covered be National Parks the largest being Lobéké in Cameroon, Dzanga-Ndoki in Central African Republic and Nouabalé-Ndoki in the Republic of Congo.
The region consists of a large river system, lowland tropical rainforest, mixed species terra firma forest, semi deciduous forest, evergreen forest, swamp and seasonally flooded forests, and a variety of open landscape, savanna and river habitats.
Mixed species terra firma forest consists of trees of varying heights and a high diversity of species. In Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forest the continuous canopy dominated by Gilbertiodendron dewevrei, there is less species diversity overall and the herb layer is almost absent except in light gaps caused by watercourses, roads and tree falls. Riparian forest emerging along watercourses has a low, continuous canopy with medium height emergent trees. The herb layer is dense with many robust giant herbs. Open swamp forests are characterised by permanent standing water and no continuous canopy, the trees do not reach great heights and giant herbs are common. Seasonally flooded forests flood annually in the wet season and the canopy is more or less continuous with few light gaps. Savanna occurs on sandy soils where grazing and burning of the vegetation prevents forest regeneration with gallery forests along watercourses.