The overall objective of this « action-research » was to support decision-making by allowing to quantify and rationalise options for decision-makers and political stakeholders around protected areas in DRC in land use planning, support to nature conservation and sustainable rural development in the current context of human pressure, oil exploitation and mining pressure.

Prospect C&S’ team has developed “case studies” around 5 protected areas through a method of action-research. These case studies should allow the authorities to become aware of quantitative methods of decision-making that could present alternatives to formal or informal mining and oil investments in protected areas and that could define a proper strategy of land use planning around the targeted protected areas.

On completion of the activities, a detailed analysis of the protected areas was produced, a land use plan was proposed around these protected areas together with its management options. Based on the results of a socio-economic survey, a redeployment of economic activities around the protected area was proposed aiming at eventually redirecting human activities further away from the protected area.

Client: EU Delegation to the Democratic Republic of Congo
Location: Democratic Republic of Congo
Period: 01/2016 – 12/2017