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In the South of Chad, the Esso Consortium had to pay compensation both to the collectivity and to individuals, after having occupied land and trees destroyed by the petroleum pumping site. Between 1995 and 2003, lengthy debates took place to estimate that compensation. In addition to the technical difficulties, there was a power struggle between, on the one side, the Consortium associated with the Chad State and, on the other, the local groups flanked by the encouraging NGO from the North. The Ngambay populations are confronted to a double hypocrisy, that of a Durable Development discourse displayed by the Esso - thanks to the World Bank obliged -, and that of the NGO who finds here a timely environmental fight. Too far removed from the stakes of this petrol operation, the concerned village communities have been working to obtain the compensation which was within their reach, that of ' wild trees '.