Scholarlink

<p>In&#xa0;the Democratic Republic of&#xa0;the Congo’s Mangrove Marine Park, due to an apparent lack of mangrove research focus and global uncertainty of the future of mangrove forests, there is a strong need to explore uses and perceptions of local mangrove stakeholders in relation to forest management. Therefore, we investigated local ecological mangrove knowledge, household use of mangrove resources and perceptions of change, a first in the Congo River Delta. Using a semi-structured questionnaire in 187 face-to-face interviews in eight villages, located along three axes with different distance and accessibility levels, we identified variations in the utilization and perceptions of mangroves among communities. We found that 42% of respondents valued mangroves as an ecosystem, 31% as extent/area of&#xa0;woodland/forest and 26% as vegetation. Mangroves were widely used for medicines, fuelwood and construction (service wood), and the dependence for local livelihoods was influenced by resource availability and by village-mangrove distance and accessibility, with villages as close as 2 km having virtually no mangrove knowledge and perceptions. Men, women and children were involved in periodical harvesting of mangrove wood, with almost 75% using <i>Rhizophora racemosa</i> and <i>Rhizophora mangle</i> and being&#xa0;able to identify these species by their local names (<i>Lowa</i> and <i>Nteta</i>). Some of the perceived mangrove changes were attributed to tree-felling (87%), charcoal making (42%) and habitat degradation (35%). Mangroves were recognized as good (beneficial) and very important for their well-being (81%). Replacement of mangrove fuelwood by other wood, inclusion of Indigenous knowledge into management, and community participation in conservation programs are expected to reduce the pressure on mangroves.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Mangrove Knowledge, Use and Perceptions in the Congo River Delta

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月26日

查看全文
  • Patrick Muderhwa,
  • Behara Satyanarayana,
  • Legrand Cirimwami,
  • Judith A. Okello,
  • Martin Bitijula,
  • Farid Dahdouh-Guebas

摘要

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Mangrove Marine Park, due to an apparent lack of mangrove research focus and global uncertainty of the future of mangrove forests, there is a strong need to explore uses and perceptions of local mangrove stakeholders in relation to forest management. Therefore, we investigated local ecological mangrove knowledge, household use of mangrove resources and perceptions of change, a first in the Congo River Delta. Using a semi-structured questionnaire in 187 face-to-face interviews in eight villages, located along three axes with different distance and accessibility levels, we identified variations in the utilization and perceptions of mangroves among communities. We found that 42% of respondents valued mangroves as an ecosystem, 31% as extent/area of woodland/forest and 26% as vegetation. Mangroves were widely used for medicines, fuelwood and construction (service wood), and the dependence for local livelihoods was influenced by resource availability and by village-mangrove distance and accessibility, with villages as close as 2 km having virtually no mangrove knowledge and perceptions. Men, women and children were involved in periodical harvesting of mangrove wood, with almost 75% using Rhizophora racemosa and Rhizophora mangle and being able to identify these species by their local names (Lowa and Nteta). Some of the perceived mangrove changes were attributed to tree-felling (87%), charcoal making (42%) and habitat degradation (35%). Mangroves were recognized as good (beneficial) and very important for their well-being (81%). Replacement of mangrove fuelwood by other wood, inclusion of Indigenous knowledge into management, and community participation in conservation programs are expected to reduce the pressure on mangroves.