Valentin Buroko

Itombwe Nature Reserve and its efficient management Valentin Buroko

Itombwe Nature Reserve is a protected area with legal conservation status registered under N° 038/CAB/MIN/ECN-EF/2006 of 11 October 2006 and is located between the territories of Mwenga, Uvira, Fizi and Shabunda. It is composed of three micro conservation zones namely the stamp zone, the multiple use zone and the integral conservation zone or the body zone. Our research focused on the multiple-use zone because it is reserved for the local population for anthropic activities, but unfortunately it misuses the biodiversity of this zone, leading to the degradation of both the habitat and the opening of the resources of this zone. At the risk of the negative impact of this behaviour of the local population on the ecosystem of the integral zone and the tensions that may arise later between the managers (ICCN) and the local population, this study proposes strategies for strengthening the efficient management of the Itombwe Nature Reserve.