Maringa-Lopori-Wamba
The Maringa-Lopori-Wamba (MLW) landscape covers approximately 74,000 square kilometers and is home to many endangered species, including the bonobo, found only in the DRC. To help promote long-term resilience and food security, we are intensively engaged with local communities in land-use planning, conservation projects, and sustainable livelihood strategies.
We have helped communities establish two bonobo reserves in this high-priority landscape. The 3,625-square-kilometer Lomako–Yokokala Faunal Reserve and the 1,030-square-kilometer Iyondji Community Bonobo Reserve comprise a bonobo habitat of global significance.
Conservation and development solutions assist local and Indigenous people, as well as indigenous wildlife. They include:
- Community livelihood projects, including training in entrepreneurship and microenterprise
- Support for participatory land-use planning
- Anti-poaching and law-enforcement support in partnership with the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (The DRC’s wildlife authority)
- Biological monitoring of wildlife populations and habitat
- Regular community sensitization to conservation goals and importance through meetings and public awareness campaigns
We work with the people of Democratic Republic of Congo for wildlife. Our strategic, implementing and funding partners include:
Rangers safeguard bonobos
We train and support rangers who protect the reserves, teach people about conservation, and deal with political unrest. Eco-guards supported by AWF at the Iyondji Community Bonobo Reserve received an IUCN International Ranger Award in 2022 for their work.
Supporting life-changing entrepreneurship
Along with our partner, Village Enterprise, we are helping people from communities near the Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve learn how to start and run successful micro-businesses. These alternative, sustainable businesses can help improve living conditions for families while reducing human impact on biodiversity. To date, the project has awarded micro-grants in support of 90 new businesses, benefiting a total of 1,890 people in 270 homes. The livelihoods program appears to be helping safeguard wildlife, too: The majority of area hunters have turned in their firearms to the ICCN, and none of the 12 poachers caught in the last two years in the Reserve were from the project area.
Integrating human rights into conservation work
Our work with communities shows how we fulfill our commitment to uphold a rights-based conservation approach. Rights-based training is integrated into eco-guard training as well as community outreach. We also helped establish grievance committees in the Lomako-Yokokala and Iyondji Community reserves to facilitate the swift resolution of any disputes that arise between the local populace and eco-guards.
