Forests for the Future: a model of resilient, community-led conservation in the Congo Basin

08 July 2025

This story is the first of a five part Forests for the Future impact series on how community forests in the DRC are enabling communities to drive their own development and protect climate critical forests.

For over 10 years, RFUK and its Congolese partners have been supporting local and Indigenous communities to secure legal rights to their forests and to manage them sustainably. The Forests for the Future project has supported the creation of 17 community forests across Equateur, Maniema and North-Kivu provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). These forests now cover a vast 154,000 hectares, an area more than twice the size of Greater London, and represent more than just protected trees. They are spaces of opportunity, self-determination and hope for over 25,000 people.

What are community forests?

Community forests are legally designated areas of forest land that are managed by the local communities who live in and around them. Instead of being controlled by the state or private companies, these forests are governed through locally developed rules, simple management plans and inclusive decision-making. This model allows communities to use their forests sustainably, harvesting products, farming responsibly and protecting biodiversity, while safeguarding their land from destructive external threats like illegal logging or industrial exploitation.

In the Congo Basin, where many rural populations lack secure land rights, community forests offer a vital and transformative alternative. They give some of the world’s most marginalised people a direct stake in conservation and development, and also give them a powerful voice in the future of this great rainforest.

A proven model for people and planet

Through the creation of 49 informal producer associations, targeted agricultural support and the strengthening of value chains, these communities have generated income, improved food security and reinvested in vital local services like schools and health centres.

Forest protection has not been theoretical; it has been practical and visible. Using simple forest management plans and real-time forest monitoring tools like ForestLink and ForestEye, communities have reduced illegal logging, tackled wildlife trafficking and even witnessed the return of species once lost to their areas.

Impact beyond the project area

While direct support has focused so far on 17 community forests, the Forests for the Future project has helped unlock system-wide change. The project has played a central role in supporting the DRC’s national community forest strategy and roundtable processes since 2015. By providing space for knowledge sharing and consensus building on reform priorities, the national and provincial roundtables have so far indirectly contributed to the protection of 4 million hectares of forest nationwide, an area twice the size of Wales, and another half million hectares are currently being applied for by communities. Updated national figures are publicly available on the DRC Community Forestry Database, which has been created and maintained with APEM and RFUK’s support.

As illustrated in this upcoming series of real-world impact stories, this work has offered a credible, inclusive alternative to destructive models of development like industrial logging and large-scale agribusiness. And the opportunity is immense: with the right investment and partnerships, this community-led approach can be scaled to benefit millions more.

Why it matters and why now

As the project transitions into a new phase beyond USAID funding, its relevance to global challenges is more urgent than ever. Protecting the Congo Basin, the last of the world’s great rainforests still acting as a net carbon sink, is not just an environmental imperative. It is a strategic opportunity for governments, philanthropies and responsible businesses alike.

Climate and biodiversity goals: community forests can be a key vehicle for governments to meet their commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework in ways that respect the rights and self-determination of local communities.
Green investments: with legal clarity, strong governance and local buy-in, community forests offer fertile ground for ethical investment in sustainable forest management, agriculture and renewable energy.
Security and stability: by promoting sustainable livelihoods and reducing environmental crime, RFUK’s approach strengthens community resilience and contributes to regional security, countering the drivers of instability, migration and conflict.

The way forward

The Forests for the Future project has laid the foundation for a future where local people are at the heart of rainforest conservation. What’s needed now is sustained support from governments, donors, foundations and forward-looking companies to take this model to scale.

RFUK is committed to continuing this work, deepening impact in existing communities, expanding the reach to new forest areas and strengthening the national systems that make it all possible.

The future of the Congo Basin and its people depends on action today. Join us.

Interested in partnering or supporting the next phase of Forests for the Future?
Contact us or donate now to be part of this proven, scalable solution to one of the most significant challenges of our time.