Help Stop Slash and Burn Farming in the Congo

The Okapi Conservation Project educators and agronomists continue bringing the message of sustainable agricultural practices and forest resource conservation to communities living in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Our 18 demonstration gardens situated around the Reserve draw people as they pass by on foot, bicycles and motorbikes. The genuine interest of the people in how they can change their crop selection, crop rotation and planting schedules to improve crop production is making a broad impact across the region in reducing land degraded by slash and burn agricultural practices.

The past year we have been able to admit many new farmers to our program. The OCP agroforestry team provided tools, and seeds to 553 farmers this year and distributed 38,500 tree seedlings. As we enter a new year we look forward to being able to serve many more interested farmers around the Reserve that are  currently on our waiting list.  There is a direct relationship between improving food production and a reduction in illegal activities. As people grow more food they can sell the surplus for cash to buy much needed basic supplies and pay for health care. There is a reduced need to get involved in dangerous illegal poaching and mining operations to make money to take care of your family.

By tying our support to better stewardship of forest resources, wildlife benefits and people benefit. Caring about the needs of people opens the door for conversations about why we care about them – we just want their help in conserving wildlife habitat. It is working; 95% of the forest cover remains intact in the Ituri Basin which encompasses 45,000 sq.km!

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a World Heritage Site, is one of the most bio diverse sites in all of Africa, and is home to the largest populations of Forest elephant, okapi and chimpanzees in DR Congo. We are grateful for the many supporters from around the world that support this important work!

Links:

• Okapi Conservation Project
• Wildlife Conservation Global

Okapi Conservation Project educators focus on working with schools in communities that interface with forest resources and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Students are considered important message multipliers and future decision-makers. In order to make them aware of conservation issues, OCP educators organized a series of conferences on forest protection and management of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve for secondary school children in Isiro, Watsa and Bunia. All three communities are district headquarters for territories that encompass the Reserve.

This far ranging trip involved the participation of 17 people, traveling in a pickup and riding several motorbikes. Over 2400 kilometers were covered, sometimes over very difficult muddy tracks, to bring the program to 2206 students attending 33 schools. This is the fifth time OCP has organized such a challenging public awareness campaign, involving students, school leaders and local media.

The conference participants openly discussed the nature of the threats to the forest as well as the unique conservation value of okapi and the Reserve. As an example of how the educators reach the students in Isiro protected animal posters were explained and distributed to schools for zoology lessons and 20 soccer balls as well as soccer equipment were donated for an upcoming interschool tournament.

Given the interest of students in the conservation message, we feel that a good number of them will show an improved respect for the environment, share what they learned with their families and friends and have better attitude about accepting the restrictions on the use of natural resources allowed inside the Reserve.

During the trip OCP staff took the opportunity to meet with local government officials and host seminars. Nearly 100 officials participated in this activity alongside District Commissioners and Territory Administrators in Isiro, Watsa and Bunia. Conservation law brochures produced by OCP were handed out for their offices and staff. The OCP education team took advantage of the seminars to explain the reasons and procedures of closing mining camps, the importance of honoring the boundaries of the Reserve and the need to promote the conservation of nature as one of their defined roles as community leaders.