Protecting the Rainforest through Agroforestry and Reforestation

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is home to several communities that include a large number of farmers who practice slash-and-burn agriculture. Being aware of the danger this cultivation practice represents to okapi habitat, it is necessary to educate and disseminate sustainable agroforestry techniques that improve peoples’ livelihoods while protecting the rainforest.

In preparation for the growing season this summer, nearly 25,000 tree seedlings were distributed to local farmers to plant on their plots of land covering a total area of over 60 hectares (150 acres). Seedlings planted included nitrogen-fixing tree species to enhance soil fertility, and timber species, as well as fruit, nut, and other multi-purpose species to address the needs of local communities. The program also established 79 vegetable gardens to support 159 households across our five program extensions to diversify their diet with new fruits and vegetables. Over 600 farmers participated in our agroforestry program in the first half of 2022, and these activities continue to promote forest health and protection by improving sustainable use of forest resources and preventing encroachment of agriculture into old-growth forest.

Most importantly, these efforts provide additional food security for the communities living in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. By providing the resources, techniques and capacity building opportunities for families, we are helping provide improved crop production for the people who need it most. When basic needs are met, this provides an opportunity for OCP educators and agronomes to have conversations about protecting the forest and providing empowering ways to do so by all members of the communities. 

In June, our educators and agronomes jointly organized and presented agroforestry workshops in villages across the landscape for the first time since 2018. When the Okapi Wildlife Reserve was created in 1992, we assisted with the development of guidelines for the sustainable management of land and natural resources within the Reserve, which included the demarcation of 32 agriculture zones and 29 subsistence hunting zones in collaboration with local communities and the indigenous Mbuti. These OCP-led workshops not only informed new members of the communities about the Reserve boundaries and resource guidelines, but also provided an opportunity for the communities to share with Reserve leadership how the guidelines are working 30 years after their creation. These workshops provided opportunities for over 900 farmers to voice positive outcomes and their concerns while developing ways to address them.

Recent conversations and reports shared in these workshops revealed a few violations of regulations for access to natural resources, mainly regulations on sustainable use of hunting zones and agriculture zones. Most of the concerns included slash-and-burn farming in some areas, and violation of agriculture zone limits causing boundary conflict between the two communities of Bandisende and Tuonane. We are working with the communities and authorities to mitigate these issues, but overall, the workshops revealed the agriculture zones are helping protect the interior of the Reserve, and that we must continue to implement sustainable agroforestry techniques in order to maintain these zones into the future.

Re-opening of the Mungbere Nursery
This summer, OCP reopened the Mungbere nursery that was closed in 2010. The reopening of this nursery brings the number of agroforestry extensions in and around OWR to six and we are excited to continue serving the Mungbere community with proven agroforestry techniques to increase their crop yields and lengthen the life of the fertility of the soil, reducing encroachment into the rainforest. With the addition of the nursery, we hope to distribute 100,000 tree seedlings each year to farmers and for reforestation efforts across the Ituri Forest landscape.

The Mungbere nursery expanded OCP’s presence in the northeast of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Currently, we have a women’s group that supports over 40 women in empowerment opportunities and revenue-generating activities in the town, and we plan to expand and solidify our presence in the region through donor support in this fast-growing region near the Reserve.

The new nursery set up in Mungbere.

Adding shade to protect the germinating seeds from the harsh sun.

Celebrating Tree Day

In late October, OCP educators & agronomes, ICCN ecoguards, local authorities and schoolchildren celebrated Tree Day in five villages across the Reserve: Mungbere, Mambasa, Biakato, Niania and Wamba. 

The forest is critical for okapi and vital to all our programs. Encouraging people to understand the importance of trees and using them sustainably is an important contribution to the protection of the forest long into the future, thus this year’s slogan was “let us reforest today for tomorrow.”

Public venues including schools and churches were chosen to plant trees that were suitable for reforestation, and schoolchildren and other members of the community participated in the tree planting. Children are the leaders of tomorrow, so it is critical we reach them now and influence decisions that can protect the forest in the future.

Police officer preparing holes to plant tree seedlings.

Planting tree seedlings

The mornings began with an official kick-off ceremony by a local leader or authority, followed by the explanation on the role of the trees and the forest by either the OCP agronomist in that community or the ICCN Community Conservation officer and continued with the distribution of tree seedlings to the members of the community where everyone took their turn planting trees and taking lots of photos! In the past, we normally celebrated the day in December, but in order to take advantage of the final rains of the season, our celebration was moved to late October so the seedlings had time to acclimate and develop strong root systems to increase their chance of survival.

Children receive booklets while participating in Tree Day.

OCP agroforestry team honored as Disney Conservation Heroes
In 2020, our agroforestry team, led by Muvi Yalala, was honored as Disney Conservation Heroes! Disney graciously sent a medal, certificate, shirts, hats and a plush Mickey for the team, but COVID restrictions prevented our US-based team from delivering the materials. Finally in August this year, John was able to travel to Epulu to present them with all the goodies! Please give our agroforestry team a huge congratulations for all their hard work ensuring communities had access to food and training during the pandemic.

John Lukas presenting Muvi Yalala with the Disney Conservation Hero medal. Muvi leads OCP’s agroforestry program.

OCP agroforestry team with Disney Conservation award and apparel.