TITLE:
Socio-Economic Impact of the Creation of Protected Areas on the Well-Being of the Riparian Population of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the Itombwe Nature Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo
AUTHORS:
Matthieu Muke Basubi, Serge Kadiri Bobo, Léon Mzee Kazamwali, Frederick Nkakah Aseaku, Pauline Maïyanpa, Camile Kondo Nyembo
KEYWORDS:
Protected Area, Riparian Well-Being, Socio-Economic Impact
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Ecology,
Vol.15 No.6,
June
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: The paper analyzes the socio-economic effects of the creation of Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Itombwe Nature Reserve on the daily lives of riparian populations. It highlights negative impacts on household activities such as agriculture, hunting, firewood exploitation, and non-timber forest product collection. Key challenges include declining soil fertility, reduced agricultural yields, scarcity of resources, and human-wildlife conflicts. Efforts should be directed towards reducing these changes through the involvement of local populations in all the protected area conservation processes.