How people use the peat swamp forests of the central Congo Basin

Abstract

The central Congo Basin peatlands span 167 600 km2 and are the world's largest tropical peatlands. Hundreds of thousands of people live in the vicinity of the peatlands, but studies of how people use the peatlands do not, to our knowledge, exist. This article investigates people's use of peat swamp forests in three study sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of the Congo. Using participatory methods, we interviewed 407 people and learned that 100% of households use the peat swamp forest for fishing. Therefore, the peatlands are essential to people's well-being and health as fish are a major protein source. All households also used the peat swamp forest for at least one secondary activity, such as collecting wild food, timber, vines and medicinal plants or hunting. Interviewees and forest guides told us that the peat swamp forest has spiritual value. People considered their activities sustainable, supporting similar observations by peatland scientists. Continued use and access to the peat swamp forest is therefore essential for people's well-being. Formalizing the customary tenure of communities that use the peatlands could contribute to their long-term protection. This is important as policymakers consider options to protect the central Congo Basin peatlands. A French translation of this abstract is available in the supplementary material. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'African tropical peatlands: function, value and vulnerability'.