Towards an Inclusive Approach to Forest Management: Highlight of the Perception and Participation of Local Communities in the Management of miombo Woodlands around Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga, D.R. Congo)

Abstract

The misappropriation of sustainable forest programs by local communities and the under-utilization of their knowledge are major impediments to the mitigation of deforestation. Within this context, participation has become a principle used in almost all interventions. It is important to evaluate the practices in this area to ensure better involvement of local communities. This survey examined the perception and participation of local communities in the management of miombo woodlands, based on semi-structured questionnaire surveys involving 945 households in 5 villages in the Lubumbashi rural area. The results reveal that local communities perceive soil fertility loss and deforestation as major environmental challenges in their area. This perception remains largely influenced by their socio-demographic factors such as respondents’ age, seniority in the villages, and level of education. To mitigate deforestation, the rare actions of provincial public services and non-governmental organizations are focused on the sustainable exploitation of miombo woodlands through the development of simple management plans, reforestation, and forest control. These activities are sparse and poorly inclusive of scientific findings and the priorities of local communities. These justify poor community participation, particularly in the actions of provincial public services. For a better appropriation of sustainable forest management plans and to reinforce miombo woodlands’ resilience to anthropogenic pressures, based on these findings, we recommend a concerted and inclusive approach to forest planning.

Quantification and Determinants of Carbonization Yield in the Rural Zone of Lubumbashi, DR Congo: Implications for Sustainable Charcoal Production

“…The area is situated on latosols, which can be divided into red earth, red-ochre earth, and yellow earth based on their iron oxide content [12]. The major environmental challenges perceived by the local communities include deforestation and loss of soil fertility [37]. In addition to charcoal production, the Miombo forest is essential to the local population, who depend on its resources for food, subsistence agriculture, fishing, and caterpillar, mushroom, and honey harvesting [35].…”

Quantifying Forest Cover Loss during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Charcoal Production Basin of Lubumbashi (DR Congo) through Remote Sensing and Landscape Analysis

“…Nevertheless, the accelerated population expansion, coupled with persistent poverty, has resulted in the emergence of numerous villages within the LCPB [30]. Consequently, residents heavily depend on natural resources to meet essential needs and fulfill the demands of urban dwellers for agricultural produce, non-timber forest products, and charcoal [23,26]. This economic reliance has exerted significant pressure on forest resources, contributing to notable deforestation and forest degradation in the region.…”

“…This economic reliance has exerted significant pressure on forest resources, contributing to notable deforestation and forest degradation in the region. Additionally, deficiencies and inconsistencies in forest governance exacerbate the situation by allowing for unsustainable exploitation of forest resources [26]. For this study, the LCPB was subdivided into three parts: the northern zone (~8000 km 2 ), the central zone (~12000 km 2 ) and the southern zone (~7000 km 2 ).…”

“…As a significant mining locale, Lubumbashi also contributes to deforestation through the expansion of mining operations and associated infrastructure. Challenges in forest resource management, such as the issuance of forest concessions without adequate oversight by customary authorities [25,26], have further exacerbated deforestation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the rural area of Lubumbashi known as the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (LCPB).…”

“…These restrictions aimed to safeguard the population and bolster healthcare system capacities [28]. Within this basin, the containment measures and economic disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have intensified pressure on populations reliant on forest resources for their livelihoods [23,26,29]. Some have responded by escalating logging activities to meet immediate economic needs, as exemplified in Kasomeno within the same region with the illicit exploitation of Pterocarpus tinctorius Wel.…”