Investigating the impact of a long-term research and conservation project on the expansion of land use and land cover in a remote area of central DRC

A long-term research and conservation project, the LuiKotale Bonobo Project (LKBP), established in 2002 within Salonga National Park's buffer zone in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has shown mixed impacts on land use and land cover. While deforestation decreased in the primary collaborating village, Lompole, neighboring villages experienced continuous increase due to population growth and cash income from the project. This study combines satellite imagery data with population records over 31 years (1987–2018) to assess the project's influence on land use changes, revealing unintended consequences of conservation efforts that provide economic benefits.

Soliday, V., Louat, A., Miezi, E., & Fruth, B. (2023). Investigating the impact of a long-term research and conservation project on the expansion of land use and land cover in a remote area of central DRC. Trees, Forests and People, 11, 100368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2022.100368