Conflict-Sensitive Conservation in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega Landscape

The report details a conflict analysis conducted in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega (MTKB) landscape of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It identifies specific conflicts in Maiko National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, and the Itombwe Nature Reserve, analyzing their root causes and effects to propose targeted interventions. The document emphasizes the use of conflict-sensitive conservation (CSC) tools—such as conflict trees and stakeholder mapping—to balance biodiversity protection with the needs of local populations and the realities of regional instability.

• In Maiko National Park (MNP), the primary conflict is the uncontrolled and illegal exploitation of natural resources, including mining, bushmeat hunting, and charcoal harvesting. This is driven by the presence of armed groups, weak law enforcement, and a lack of public awareness regarding park boundaries, leading to biodiversity loss and tensions between the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and local populations.
• Kahuzi-Biega National Park (KBNP) faces critical conflict due to illegal encroachment and settlement within its ecological corridor, which connects high-altitude and low-altitude sectors. This fragmentation, caused by poverty, political instability, and high population pressure, led UNESCO to list the park as a World Heritage Site in Danger in 1997.
• The Itombwe Nature Reserve (INR) is characterized by community conflicts centered on poaching. Because the reserve spans multiple chiefdoms with different hunting rules, poachers often move between areas to evade restrictions. This is exacerbated by corruption, illegal hunting permits, and a high local demand for bushmeat.
• The MTKB landscape is one of the most populous regions in Africa, with densities reaching 300 persons per square kilometre. This high population density drives rapid deforestation, soil erosion, and overexploitation of soils, while a lack of consultation during the gazettement of protected areas has led to boundaries not being recognized by local communities.
• Proposed strategies to mitigate these conflicts include the establishment of multistakeholder commissions for participatory boundary demarcation, the expansion of microcredit programs to provide alternative livelihoods, and the implementation of biomonitoring and anti-poaching patrols.

APA

Crawford, A. (2017). Conflict-Sensitive Conservation in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega Landscape. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/conflict-sensitive-conservation-maiko-tayna-kahuzi-biega-landscape.pdf

Chicago

Crawford, Alec. Conflict-Sensitive Conservation in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega Landscape. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2017. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/conflict-sensitive-conservation-maiko-tayna-kahuzi-biega-landscape.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Crawford |first1=Alec |title=Conflict-Sensitive Conservation in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega Landscape |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=October 2017 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/conflict-sensitive-conservation-maiko-tayna-kahuzi-biega-landscape.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{crawford2017conflictsensitive, author = {Crawford, Alec}, title = {{Conflict-Sensitive Conservation in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega Landscape}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2017}, month = oct, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/conflict-sensitive-conservation-maiko-tayna-kahuzi-biega-landscape.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }