ANALYSIS OF THE RATE OF DEFORESTATION IN POST-CONFLICT AREAS IN THE DRC: CASE OF COMMUNITY FORESTS AROUND KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK IN KABARE NORTH

Abstract

This study was carried out in the context of knowing the rate of deforestation in post-conflict areas in the DRC and particularly in the community forests surrounding the Kahuzi-Bièga National Park in the north of the Kabare territory. The population of this part lives mainly on agricultural activities and uses firewood for cooking food. Before cooking food, building a house … there must be a tree or even several trees to cut down, which increasingly accentuates deforestation in this part.

However, deforestation and deforestation is increasing in the PNKB and in most of the settlements surrounding it, as the population increases or moves. Admittedly, groups have taken advantage of the war and community conflicts to illegally exploit wood resources, especially in the PNKB and its surroundings, and the influx of refugees has caused serious ecological problems in the northern part of Kabare territory. The first devastations of the war would have hit the Kahuzi Bièga National Park with the massive influx of Rwandan refugees in 1994. As causes of deforestation, let's say that the construction of houses, the search for firewood and embers occupy the first place because man has always needed to shelter and cook food or even to heat himself, unfortunately in the northern part of the territory of Kabare, to meet food needs, we often use firewood and embers because the stoves are less used in this part but rather braziers and the traditional fashion. Despite the possession of afforestation by 100% of our respondents, the rate of deforestation in the latter is 22.47%.