Story | 05 May, 2020

Renaissance of a protected area in Democratic Republic of Congo

A participatory and inclusive consulatation process has breathed new life into the Mangai Hunting Domain and Hippopotamus Reserve. Here's how.

Photo: IUCN / Corbett Nash

Seventy-six years after its initial creation, the Mangai Hunting Domain and Hippopotamus Reserve has been given a new lease on life, thanks to an in-depth participatory process leading to the adoption of a brand new management plan.

The process, which was based on the WCPA Best Practice Guidelines on the Governance of Protected Areas No. 20, brought together key governance actors, rightsholders and stakeholders, who jointly identified a wide range of natural, historical, cultural and socio-economic values at play in the area. Along with establishing a governance working group, IUCN and partners encouraged inclusive participation by introducing proven landscape tools such as a land use dialogue and the restoration opportunities assessment methodology (ROAM) to the reserve and surrounding communities. The resulting new management plan was validated by all stakeholders before formal adoption in late 2019.

Photo: ICCN

The Mangai Reserve is the sixth protected area in the DRC with a land use and management plan validated by all stakeholders at all levels. The community-led governance working group is specifically recognised in the management plan as holding responsibility for the governance of the protected area at the local level, thereby increasing local power and enabling people to have their rights respected across the landscape. The success of the process behind the creation of this management plan may influence others in the DRC protected area network. Several national parks and reserves are in the process of developing or revising their management plans, and the lessons learned in Mangai serve as a valuable model.

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