Project

Mitigating conflict and reducing environmental impacts of ASM in protected areas

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and IPIS have been partnering in 2018-2019 to investigate the situation of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) within and around Kahuzi-Biega National Park (KBNP) and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) in eastern DRC. Both protected areas are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The activities include research, development of surveys, training surveyors, conducting on the ground research and consultations with mining stakeholders, and the development of databases, a map and a final report.

The research has been carried out with the support of UN’s Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) and US Agency for International Development (USAID). WCS works in partnership with the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN, Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature) to support the management of protected areas, while working with local communities to implement sustainable livelihood activities to contribute to both conservation and economic development.  

Project Coordinator

ken matthysen

Ken Matthysen

Researcher