Démocratic Republic of Congo

Guyguy MangoniNational Expert in Management Strategies and

Sustainable Financing of Protected AreasGEF-UNDP Program – Sustainable Financing of Congo

Basin Protected Areas Systems – PIMS 3447Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Using spatial data to safeguard forests and ecosystem servicesCase study – Using spatial data from the NASA-FIP Project in DRC

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

I. National context for the project (DRC)

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD):Inventory and Forest Management Department (DIAF)

Sustainable Development Department (DDD)

Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN):National Authority for Protected Areas Management

DRC is the only African country among the 17 mega-biodiversity countries in the world. It ishome to endemic species such as Okapi, Grauer's Gorilla, Bonobo and Congolese peacock. Ithas nearly 155 million hectares of vegetation cover, about 47% of the tropical forest area ofthe African continent and 6% of the world's tropical reserves.

Guarantor of the Congo Basin Forests, the second largest forest in the world after the Amazon, the Government (throughthe MEDD and ICCN), supported by partners, works to prevent the degradation of the country's forest cover and to containthe erosion of its rich biodiversity. To this end, several national institutions use satellite images.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

II. Using spatial data created by the NASA-FIP Project

Ø Spatial data can be used as a powerful tool for making feasible decisions that protect humanlivelihoods and conserve essential biodiversity. Despite this potential, countries do not usethis data to inform their conservation decisions.

Ø National policymakers do not have access to make informed decisions about conservationand development planning.

Ø The goal of the NASA-FIP project is to provide each country with exploitable spatial data formaking conservation decisions.

Ø The project will serve as a vehicle to accelerate the use of spatial data to achieve the AichiBiodiversity Targets and Nature-Based Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ø The project focuses on eight pilot countries: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Indonesia,Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Peru and Viet Nam.

2.1. Reminder

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

1. Human Footprint; 2. Forest Condition; 3. Forest Structural Condition Index; 4. Forest Fragmentation5. Forest Connectivity;

A concrete example is their illustration in and for the development of the6th DRC National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity

How were data generated by the NASA FIP Project used in the case of the DRC?

II. Using spatial data created by the NASA-FIP Project2.2. Data layers generated by the Project

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Ø The map indicates the increasing number of roads that are beingbuilt in the Congolese Rainforest, which leads to levels offragmentation of the forest. The roads are are cutting across theforest patches.

Ø It shows the impact of human activities and provides guidance onthe direction of various conservation planning efforts to beprovided by the Government and other stakeholders.

Ø Human Footprint (=> data layer 1)

Map of Human Footprint in Democratic Republic of Congo (study area)

II. Using spatial data created by the NASA-FIP Project2.3. Data layers used in DRC

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Ø Forest condition (=> data layer 2)

Ø Forest cover monitoring data has been collected since 2000 and is aninvaluable record of information on losses and forest cover gains overtime.

Ø Thus, in the 6th National Report of DRC to the CBD where it ismentioned, it is noted that the assessment of the forest cover between1990 (reference year) and 2010 gives an annual rate of deforestation ofabout 2.5%. This rate is low at the national level, but it is much higher inareas with a high population density, particularly near cities whereforests have disappeared within a radius of more than 150 km.

Ø The map shows the loss of forest cover: the generated data make itpossible to spatialize and visualize the forest cover. They have beencollected since 2000 and are to date an invaluable source of informationon losses and forest cover gains over time.

Map of the loss of forest cover in the Democratic Republic of Congo

II. Using spatial data created by the NASA-FIP Project2.3. Data layers used in DRC

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Map of fragmentation between forests habitats in DRC

Ø The map shows the level and the type of fragmentation in DRC. The areas ingreen show the core fragments, and the areas in purple and orange are theareas of connectivity between forest patches.

Ø National policies focusing on reducing the level of fragmentation also allowgreater movements of the species within their environment. It ensuresconnectivity among population of threatened species and maintain geneticdiversity, as well as allow movement for species due to climate change.

Ø The creation of corridors that connect patches should allow theGovernment to better protect biodiversity.

Ø Forest Fragmentation (data layer 4)

II. Using spatial data created by the NASA-FIP Project2.3. Data layers used in DRC

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

By comparing with some field data (albeit insufficient) both at the level of the protected areas andoutside under the various reports such as those of the Inventories and Forest Management Department(DIAF/MEDD), ICCN and partners working in the sector (OSFAC, WWF, WCS, etc.),

How has the data generated by the NASA FIP Project been reinforced by national data?

II. Using spatial data created by the NASA-FIP Project2.3. Data layers used in DRC

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

III. Difficulties and perspectives

3.1. Difficulty in using the data

3.2. Perspectives

• Low access to the internet for the acquisition of these data• Low capacity of actors to be able to use these data when available• Difficulty in validation at national level

• To establish in an imminent manner a platform for dialogue and exchange with allbiodiversity stakeholders in order to promote the use and consideration of this datafor planning and development.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

NASA – Forest Integrity Project : Using Spatial Data to Inform National Biodiversity Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Merci

спасибо

obrigado

ありがとうございました

谢谢 Gracias

Thanks

Matondo