June 17, 2011
Ivory Confiscation in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Ivory poaching in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve continues to be the greatest challenge for ICCN wardens and rangers. Rangers on forest patrol must be ever vigilant to the great peril of encountering heavily armed elephant poachers and firefights are not uncommon. The recent arrest of soldiers transporting ivory through the Reserve poignantly illustrated the depth of the organized network now involved with illegally poaching and selling ivory in the DR Congo. Our programs to support ICCN and wildlife protection are critical to sustaining the important elephant populations living in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve ICCN rangers recently arrested soldiers traveling in an SUV through the Reserve, carrying 160kg of ivory in suitcases (representing 10 forest elephants killed). An undercover investigation revealed the soldiers conducted the ivory transaction with an elephant poacher in the nearby town of Mambasa. The group was subsequently apprehended as they attempted to transport the ivory back to their base in Kisangani. The ivory was confiscated but the soldiers were released following the intervention of Kisangani military officials. The incident illustrates the very complex and high level network involved with ivory poaching in the DR Congo. The ICCN conservators, rangers and local officials involved with the investigation and arrest are to be commended for their work and bravery.
June 17, 2011
OCP Agro-Forestry Update
The OCP agroforestry team planted new varieties of cassava (manioc) of the Liyayi variety which are disease free (African mosaic) and received very good yields of 50 tons per hectare. The team also distributed 400 kg of rice seed and 325 kg of peanut seeds to participating farmers to start their crop production. The team was also active monitoring the demonstration gardens in the nearby towns of Bapukeli, Ekwe, Molokai, and KeroZanzibar and a new community garden was started in the town of Ekulungu. The OCP agroforestry program was formally recognized by the government seat in Bunia to facilitate landscape level agroforestry projects and the OCP teams may now also work in towns outside the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
May 5, 2011
Okapi Conservation Project Education Team Update
The Okapi Conservation Project education team is focusing on the developing community conservation committees in the northern sector of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The towns of Wamba and Mungbere are difficult to reach because of the extremely poor road system, however these communities are critically important to the future of the Reserve because many of the inhabitants there rely on the forest for their livelihoods.
The education team, along with the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) rangers, encouraged customary chiefs and local government administrators to become involved with formal community conservation committees. The committee members are tasked with communicating with their communities about the Okapi Wildlife Reserve conservation objectives. They are provided with resources such as information booklets and flyers, and technical support in areas such as agro-forestry and school rehabilitation, as well as bicycles and basic office supplies to help them travel and distribute information throughout their constituencies. This program is financed by a grant from UNESCO in support of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve World Heritage Site.
Five conservation committees were initiated in Wamba (57 participants) and Mungbere (28 participants) in 2010. The education team’s recent mission was to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the conservation committees. Three of the committees had done a good job of internal organization, rehabilitating school infrastructure and agricultural tasks and will now also focus on curbing illegal activities associated with the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Leadership problems with the other 2 committees were resolved and efforts will now be focused on getting them up to speed. The committees suggested they would like regular contacts with ICCN leadership to help their progress and to conduct special lobbying with military official based nearby in the city of Isiro to help solve poaching problems.
March 9, 2011
Women’s Associations and Agro-Forestry
For the first time the Okapi Conservation Project agro-forestry team recently held specific education sessions with women’s associations in villages in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve concerning their role in the sustainable utilization of natural resources. Members of women’s associations in the towns of Nia Nia, Wamba, Epulu and Mambasa also received assistance from the Project in the form of vegetable seeds, sewing materials and uniforms. These women work intensively in their family subsistence farms, called shambas, producing crops to feed their families. Working with our agro-forestry team we are able to help the women’s associations to produce high quality food crops on smaller plots of land, reducing the need to convert forested areas into agricultural areas. The women also sew to produce clothing for their families, and to sell to earn additional income. Our project is encouraging the women’s associations to organize themselves and work together to produce food and clothing, as a direct benefit to them and their families, through conservation understanding and participation.
March 9, 2011
Infrastructure for Forest Rangers
We recently completed the construction of new permanent housing for the rangers of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The Zunguluka patrol post is located on the eastern border along the main road passing through the Reserve and is a key base to control traffic in illegal bushmeat and ivory. It also serves as home base for the rangers who patrol the Reserve on foot and protect the wildlife. Their job is often dangerous and the new housing provides the rangers and their families with a comfortable and safe home when the rangers return from long treks in the forest, protecting wildlife and stopping poachers. The ranger housing project was managed by the Okapi Conservation Project with support from a US Fish and Wildlife Service grant – Wildlife Without Borders.