Community Forests and Land Rights
Community Forests in DRC: a solution for a ‘solutions country’
A new Community Forestry briefing from RFUK, Congolese civil society and partners highlights how community forestry can help the DRC realise its ambition to be a true solutions country for climate and biodiversity.
Community Forests in DRC: A Proven Solution for a ‘Solutions Country’
As the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) delegation heads to COP30 in Belém – the so-called “Rainforest COP” – RFUK and a coalition of 21 Congolese civil society and Indigenous organisations is urging policymakers to recognise the country’s community forestry model as a cornerstone of climate and biodiversity action. Holding 60% of the world’s second-largest rainforest and its … Read more
Reflecting on the National Community Forestry Week in Mbandaka
Community Forestry is increasingly recognised as a key driver of sustainable development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It provides local communities and Indigenous Peoples with secure land tenure, enabling them to invest in their futures and build autonomous, forest-friendly rural economies through responsible investment. From 18-22 August 2025, community forest representatives, supporting NGOs, … Read more
Official launch of the Oshwe community forest project marks a new chapter for people and forests in Mai-Ndombe, DRC
On Wednesday, 24 September 2025, the Appui à la Sécurisation et au Développement Local (ASFD) – Support for Local Security and Development – project was officially launched in Oshwe, Mai-Ndombe province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This initiative opens a new front in our efforts to put the management of forests directly in the hands … Read more
Against the odds: two forest communities in conflict-affected North Kivu approve sustainable management plans
This story is the last 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 In the heart of the Bapere sector of Lubero Territory, North Kivu, a region often overshadowed by insecurity and conflict, two … Read more
Key Land-Use Planning Law Passed in the DRC
On 1 July 2025, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed into law the country’s first-ever land-use planning legislation, Law No. 25/045, marking a major milestone in the pursuit of fair and effective governance of natural resources in one of the world’s most forest-rich nations. The law’s adoption follows a multi-stakeholder process … Read more
New analysis shows extent of threat posed by new DRC oil block licensing round
Kinshasa, DRC / London, UK A new report, released today by Earth Insight in collaboration with Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) and Congolese partners Our Land Without Oil (Notre Terre Sans Pétrole) and CORAP, reveals the potential social and environmental impacts of planned oil development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The government cancelled a … Read more
FORESTS TO FRONTLINES: OIL EXPANSION THREATS IN THE DRC
This new report by Earth Insight in collaboration with Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) and Congolese partners Our Land Without Oil (Notre Terre Sans Pétrole) and CORAP, reveals the alarming extent of planned oil development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Reviving the fishing industry: boosting fishing and profits through CFCL compliance in DRC’s Equateur province
This story is the fourth in 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. Bosende is a riverside community in Lusankani territory, Equateur province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where 80% of … Read more
Securing the Future: Kiri’s and Batende’s journey to establishing their community forests in the buffer zone of the Lomami National Park
This is the third story in 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. Deep within the lush green expanse surrounding Lomami National Park in Maniema, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, something remarkable … Read more