FORESTS

Community Forests

Support for the establishment of community forest concessions in the Virunga Landscape continued.

Follow-up of the applications for forest concessions of the five local communities of Kyakaba/Bolema, Bakila-Tenambo, Bahatsa, Babumbu and Buloloma was ensured with the administration:

- Two local communities have obtained provincial decrees for the allocation of forest concessions (Bakila-Tenambo and Babumbu); - Three multi-resource studies were conducted for the concessions of Buloloma, Bakila-Tenambo and Babumbu with the participation of local communities; - A socio-economic study was conducted for the concession of Babumbu;

The simple management plans for the concessions of Buloloma, Bakila-Tenambo and Bambumbu have been drawn up, validated by the members of the community assemblies and approved by the sector chiefs.

For the management of the concessions of Buloloma, Bakila-Tenambo, Kyakaba/Bolema and Babumbu, management bodies have been set up and legalized at the local level (notarized statutes and internal regulations and operating authorizations).

In Itombwe, 12 community assemblies were held in Uvira, Fizi, and Mwenga to determine their interest in acquiring community forest concessions. To begin the process, several activities were carried out including participatory mapping, identification of families, lineages and/or clans, as well as sensitization sessions on gender mainstreaming and consideration of indigenous peoples’ rights. All the candidate communities agreed to go ahead with the project and, as a result, nine community forest files were created for a total area of 32, 4160 ha.

The UGPNS continued its support to 6 communities of Bolongo, in the territory of Oshwe, within the Salonga National Park buffer zone, which received titles to their forest concessions in 2019. A consultant was hired to carry out socio-economic surveys, biodiversity and multi-resource inventories, and micro-zoning of the forests based on uses by the community, which information will be used to prepare simple management plans for the 6 concessions.

One community in Lacs Tumba-Mai Ndombe landscape has completed the multi-resource inventory essential to drafting the forest concession management plan. WWF technicians are also training communities to manage an additional 17 community forest concessions, with a total area of 132,000 ha. The 17 files were validated by the local administrations following the meetings with regional authorities on the integrated management of forest resources of these community concessions. The next step is the issuance of titles from the Provincial Governor.

In Luki, communities were supported to develop a sustainable harvesting plan for the Manzanzoni community forest concession, which had regenerated from savannah 14 years ago. The multi-resource inventory was carried out with technical support from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD).

Afforestation under payments for environmental services (PES) in savannahs and peri-urban areas

In Lacs Tumba-Mai Ndombe and the Luki project site, communities received Payment for Ecosystem Services for protecting degraded savannahs from fire, which then naturally regenerate to forest species. In FY21, communities received US $ 39,475.67, for protecting a total of 7,895.14 hectares. The funds were used by communities for expanding school buildings, providing water points, and other basic services. A strategic document to guide management of community income was produced, and disseminated to Local Community Development Committees. Payments for Ecosystem Services to communities also facilitated the establishment of least 1,000 hectares in fuelwood plantations around villages.

Carbon emissions reductions produced from regenerated forests were calculated by constructing a carbon reference scenario using a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) map of the spatial distribution of carbon in DRC forests of the DRC, making it possible to quantify the carbon values. The reduction in CO2 emissions corresponds to approximately 51,229.75 tonnes of CO2 produced as a result of activities including protection of savannas and forests, and improved agroforestry.