The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contains the largest area of intact rainforest in Africa. In fact, the Congo’s biome is the second-largest rainforest in the world, contains the second-largest forest carbon stock, and is home to a myriad of unique and endangered species including forest elephants, bonobos okapis, leopards and gorillas.

The forests and wildlife are highly endangered and are not adequately protected due to civil unrest and extreme poverty. WildFF sees this region as a critical focus for our organization. Our work here goes back to 2019 when we first partnered with Congo Biodiversity Institute (CBI) to establish the 94-acre Kalonge Nature Reserve. This was a reforestation pilot project that employed more than 670 members of the Masiki-Kalonge community.

Tshuapa Corridor Initiative:
A Landmark Conservation Project in the DRC

Community-based reforestation

WildFF has spent almost 3 years trying to pinpoint our next landscape-scale conservation project in the DRC. Since 2021, WildFF and CBI have completed a rigorous assessment of several areas, with field expeditions completed at the most promising locations to confirm presence of wildlife and meet with local communities.

Tshuapa province is a remote region centrally located in the DRC. For WildFF, it represents a major opportunity to protect a globally important habitat in the heart of the Congo Rainforest. After both WildFF and CBI made separate visits, it was decided that it met all the criteria we seek when deciding to start a new project.

Collaboration with Samanda people

One of the most important aspects of our work is to invest in the capacity and well-being of the communities that live in these critically important forests. Since 2023, WildFF and our partners have been working closely with the Samanda community about creating a conservation area that serves as both a sustainable working forest and a wildlife corridor for nearby protected areas. More than that, we also dialog with community leaders and government staff about their needs and interests in in health, education, and economic development.

Long-term goals in Tshuapa

The protection of more than a million and a half acres is an opportunity of a lifetime and an important contribution to global sustainable development goals. Through continuous coordination with the community and our partners, we are committed to

• Keeping forests intact and preventing industrial encroachment
• Protecting against habitat fragmentation and commercial poaching
• Ensuring long-term sustainable financing and economic growth for communities via planned REDD+ project*

*REDD+ is “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest degradation in Developing countries.”

Tshuapa Corridor Initiative:
A Landmark Conservation Project in the DRC

Community-based reforestation

WildFF has spent almost 3 years trying to pinpoint our next landscape-scale conservation project in the DRC. Since 2021, WildFF and CBI have completed a rigorous assessment of several areas, with field expeditions completed at the most promising locations to confirm presence of wildlife and meet with local communities.

Tshuapa province is a remote region centrally located in the DRC. For WildFF, it represents a major opportunity to protect a globally important habitat in the heart of the Congo Rainforest. After both WildFF and CBI made separate visits, it was decided that it met all the criteria we seek when deciding to start a new project.

Collaboration with Samanda people

One of the most important aspects of our work is to invest in the capacity and well-being of the communities that live in these critically important forests. Since 2023, WildFF and our partners have been working closely with the Samanda community about creating a conservation area that serves as both a sustainable working forest and a wildlife corridor for nearby protected areas. More than that, we also dialog with community leaders and government staff about their needs and interests in in health, education, and economic development.

Long-term goals in Tshuapa

The protection of more than a million and a half acres is an opportunity of a lifetime and an important contribution to global sustainable development goals. Through continuous coordination with the community and our partners, we are committed to

• Keeping forests intact and preventing industrial encroachment
• Protecting against habitat fragmentation and commercial poaching
• Ensuring long-term sustainable financing and economic growth for communities via planned REDD+ project*

*REDD+ is “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest degradation in Developing countries.”