Involvement of communities in sustainable forest management in DRC

The search for a mechanism to lead to the sustainable management of natural resources through the involvement of local communities is a complex subject that is regularly at the center of debate in the DRC. The guiding principle of this research was the dual concern to strengthen the reflection of implementation strategies and, above all, the concern to contribute to an approach that adapts to local realities. Having worked for four years in the community conservation program of the Lomami National Park, this approach is based on community development with emphasis on the participation of local communities in the management of natural resources, taking advantage of the opportunity offered by the national strategy of community conservation; the new forestry code; the decree on the modality of allocation of forest concessions of local communities in the DRC, which enshrines the right of communities to dispose of and manage according to custom their land, we wanted to make our modest contribution to this reflection. The ultimate goal of this research is to contribute to the participation of local communities in the sustainable management of the Lomami National Park.