Biodiversity Conservation Republic of Congo Government of Congo

Biodiversity Conservation Republic of Congo Government of Congo & Wildlife Conservation Society

BIODIVERSITY IN CONGO • 60% of country covered by lowland tropical forest; • Endangered large mammals including lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants and bongo. • Endangered plant species such as Podocarpus, Afromosia trees. . .

« Protected Areas » 11% territory

WCS COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF CONGO • WCS has been working in Congo since 1990; • Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park created 1993, Buffer Zone Project created 1999; • Working in Conkouati-Douli National Park and Lac Télé Community Reserve since 2000; • Pending creation of new National Park in Batéké Plateau. • Technical support for monitoring Odzala-Koukoua National Park

CONSERVATION STRATEGIES • ‘Landscape approach’; • Network of protected areas surrounded by multiple-use zones; • Site-based conservation and protected area management

NOUABALE-NDOKI NATIONAL PARK • Created in 1993, covering 4, 000 km 2 • Many endangered large mammals and plants; • Intact forest wilderness with very low levels of human activity. • Sangha Tri-national Transboundary protected area with Cameroon and C. A. R.

NOUABALE NDOKI CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE NNNP and adjacent timber concessions in Congo, and Lobeke N P – Cameroon, and Dsangha-Ndoki N P - CAR

WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT • Anti-poaching patrols a priority activity; • Law enforcement patrols deployed from strategic points; • Law enforcement monitoring system ensures effectiveness.

ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT • Gorilla viewing at a clearing within the NNNP; • Infrastructure and trained staff put in place; • 200 international visitors expected in 2006 at NNNP

MITIGATING HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT • Elephants increasingly trespassing into villages and fields; • Experimental approach to conflict mitigation; • Various chili pepper-based measures aimed at finding long-term sustainable solutions.

WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR • Working with the private sector to protect wildlife across the whole landscape; • Project for the Management of Ecosystems Adjacent to the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park created in 1999; • Reducing negative impacts of logging and associated commercial hunting on wildlife.

LAC TELE COMMUNITY RESERVE • Wetland reserve covering 4, 200 km 2; • Rich in bird species, high densities as lowland gorillas; • 27 villages situated in and around the Reserve. • Reserve classed in 1999 as community based management reserve. • RAMSAR site

WORKING WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT • Growing demand for bushmeat; • WCS and Go. C developing sustainable resource-use programs. • Community based approaches to wildlife management and conservation

CONKOUATI-DOULI NATIONAL PARK • Created in 1999, situated on the Atlantic coast; • Extraordinary range of habitats and biodiversity; • Large human population who rely on the lagoons and estuaries for fish and seafood.

CONKOUATI-DOULI NATIONAL PARK • Coastal area extremely important for rare nesting turtles; • Research staff currently monitoring turtles to protect their eggs from poachers. • Pilot ecotourism development 2006 -07

BATEKE PLATEAUX SAVANNA • Mosaic of savanna and gallery forest; • Surveys collecting information on large mammals and human activity; • Creating a new transboundary protected area.

HUMAN-WILDLIFE HEALTH • WCS Field Veterinarians support GOC in study of disease transmission from humans to wildlife/wildlife to humans; • Rapid response/surveillance of Ebola virus and great ape populations (Odzala. Koukoua National Park); • Health monitoring of domestic cattle imports.

CAPACITY BUILDING • Training the next generation of conservationists; • On-the-job training and mentoring; • Regular training courses on specific subjects.

CONSERVATION EDUCATION • Nature Clubs • Protected species education in schools • Films on environment with Congo TV • Radio communications on Conservation • Village meetings and theatre • Awareness raising on all levels

COMMUNICATION • • Congo Forest Exhibit, Bronx Zoo, New York WCS Congo Website (www. wcs-congo. org) Congo TV collaboration, journalists, calendars International media and films

DONORS AND PARTNERS • Government of Congo and Wildlife Conservation Society • USAID/CARPE - Congo Basin Forest Partnership; • Central African World Heritage Forestry Initiative • US Fish & Wildlife Service • US Embassy; US Zoos; FFEM; ITTO; LCAOF; NGS; RAMSAR