The local population enjoy benefits generated by the managed forest 



When creating the TNR, emphasis was put on the difference between the concepts of nature protection 

 and nature conservation. While the first concept implies maintenance with no human intervention, the 

 second considers that nature should be managed by and for man. 



Through the community participatory management strategy, the TNR has opted for the conservation of 

 species. Following a scientific census, a list of species to be protected was drawn. Taking into 

 consideration the livelihoods of the local resident populations, majority of whom are part-time hunters, 

 agreements were designed to recognize that small mammals would be excluded from the restriction. 

 Hunting for food is also allowed even though it is regulated by the local customary law. 



The zoning system contributes to the materialization of this convention with little damage to the 

 preserved forest. Human activities are prohibited within the integral zone as this is the place where the 

 density of animals is higher and where they reproduce, etc. In the buffer zone, local people are allowed 

 to collect firewood and hunt so long as they respect protected species. In the development zone, 

 populations engage in their normal activities including building schools, hospitals, etc. These three 

 zones form the Tayna Nature Reserve. 



Creation of dialogue committees 



Dialogue committees were created to link the TNR and populations. They represent the population 

 during demarcation operations, offer local labour at stations within the reserve, draw the list of needs for 

 the population and prioritize them. They are in charge of teaching mesology to the locals with the aim of 

 encouraging them to become and remain friends of nature. 



Recruitment of local labour 



Hiring locals in conservation stations for positions they possess the abilities for, is preferred. Thus, more 

 than 90% of trackers are the sons of chiefs landowners. The advantage of this situation is that these 

 young people conserve a forest they know very well, making it easy to monitor and patrol in the search 

 for poachers. This policy helps locals to understand that conservation is for their benefit. 



Development projects 



To succeed in its development-related community conservation strategy, the TNR creates primary and 

 secondary schools, health centers, orphanages, and provides technical and material support to local 

 development initiatives. The creation of the University for the Conservation of nature and development 

 in Kasugho mentioned above, is part of the framework for the training of environmental technical 

 managers for the project in particular and for the country in general. Young people originating from 

 conservation areas all over DRC enjoy scholarships in that institution thanks to the funding from Diane 

 Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGFI) and Conservation International (CI). 



DISCUSSION 



There is no need to drive out populations to effectively manage forest and its wildlife. This is the 

 contribution of TNR to the exchange of experiences. Nature conservation based on community 

 participation can be viewed as the best way of managing forests in a rational maimer. 'It is obvious that 

 the survival of a protected area is dependent on the attitude of local populations and public support' 

 (Forest people project, 2002). 



To succeed, the creators of the TNR considered observations made by Rose in her book La nature 

 dévorée (Nature devoured): 'Conservation actions should be integrated into development priorities' 

 (Rose e?al., 2004). - ^ 



Nature & Faune Vol. 23, Issue 1 25 



