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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.

The 'Healing the Rift' project, led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) with technical support from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), piloted conflict-sensitive conservation (CSC) strategies in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Albertine Rift. The project focused on four sites: Virunga National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Itombwe Massif, and Misotshi-Kabogo. By utilizing conflict analysis, stakeholder dialogue, and participatory mapping, the project aimed to reduce illegal resource extraction and resolve disputes over protected area boundaries. Key successes included the establishment of monitoring committees for Lake Edward fisheries and the proactive community-supported design of the proposed Ngamika National Park. However, the report notes that long-term sustainability is threatened by persistent poverty, lack of alternative livelihoods for resource extractors, and ongoing insecurity.

The document details a capacity-building workshop for ICCN staff and partners to analyze and resolve conflicts in Virunga National Park. It identifies three primary conflicts: lack of revenue sharing, deforestation and encroachment, and military involvement in illegal activities. The report outlines conflict mapping tools, actor analysis, and proposed strategies such as creating collaboration frameworks, reorganizing fisheries on Lake Edward, and initiating community self-reliance projects.

The report details a capacity-building workshop for the ICCN focused on managing natural resource conflicts in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. It identifies three primary conflict categories: park-population tensions, disputes over resource access, and intra/inter-institutional conflicts. Key drivers include the park's expansion without community consensus, the presence of armed groups like the FDLR, and the displacement of Batwa pygmies. The workshop utilized tools such as conflict trees and stakeholder analysis to prioritize strategies, identifying institutional capacity building for the army and ICCN, co-management, and the complete delimitation of the park as top priorities.

The document examines the challenges faced by conservationists in the Albertine Rift, where high biodiversity coincides with intense social and political upheaval. It proposes the use of adaptive, conflict-sensitive approaches and analyzes seven specific conflict assessment tools to help practitioners understand conflict dynamics and minimize risks. The report also includes case studies on fishery restoration in Virunga National Park, community conservation in Kahuzi Biega National Park, and conservation management in Sierra Leone and the Peruvian Amazon.

The document details efforts to mitigate conflicts over natural resource extraction in Kahuzi Biega National Park through the establishment of Community Conservation Committees (CCCs) and the implementation of a conflict-sensitive conservation (CSC) approach. While initiatives by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other partners successfully improved relations and temporarily reduced illegal logging in the Bugobe village area, poverty remains a primary driver of resource extraction, leading to the introduction of microcredit programs to support local livelihoods.