DRC community forests move to shield land amid mining push
Villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s copper‑cobalt belt are turning to local community forest concessions (CFCLs) to secure land rights and conserve miombo woodlands as mining expands. CFCLs provide titles in perpetuity of up to 50,000 hectares with community‑led management plans. Since 2016, 227 CFCLs have been created nationwide covering 4.48 million hectares, including 20 in Haut‑Katanga with 12 more pending. Examples include the Lukutwe and Katanga concessions near Likasi, with Lukutwe supported by $4.5 million from the Global Environment Facility and implemented by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
The approach offers partial protection against evictions and a framework for benefit sharing, but significant challenges remain – overlapping mining licences, weak enforcement, limited funding and security risks. Incidents at concession boundaries, illegal charcoal production and pollution – including a November 2025 chemical spill linked to Congo Dongfang Mining that led to a government suspension – highlight ongoing pressures. For tourism, outcomes will affect biodiversity and community stability across southern DRC’s miombo landscapes, shaping access, reputational risk and prospects for nature‑based and community tourism.
Source: News Mongabay
