Great News from the Democratic Republic of the Congo! In a historical deal, the congolese NGO Strong Roots Congo has been chosen to oversee the management of Itombwe Nature Reserve, in South Kivu province in the northeast DRC for the next 10 years.
Founded by Dominique Bikaba, the NGO has been entrusted with more than 600,000 ha of community land in a public-private partnership deal. They aim to create a conservation corridor more than 1 million ha large through the concession of community forests.
This turnout is likely related to the National Forest Policy recently adopted by the DRC’s government. It recognizes the rights of Indigenous communities to manage forest areas.
Why is this a win for conservation initiatives?
- resources flow through the local communities instead of international, foreign organizations
- enables conservation to happen through those who are most drastically affected by it
- creates a more self-sustaining system that may require less (foreign) investment in the future
- indirectly supports local education and knowledge transfer
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