Sankuru Peace Forest

OUR PROJECTS

Sustainable Community Development Benefiting the Forest and Endangered Animals

The Sankuru Natural Reserve is the largest nature reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) established for the conservation of bonobos, and it is the first large-scale reserve in the country managed by indigenous peoples. It covers an area of 30,570 km2 and is in the Sankuru province within the Congo River basin.

Ecologically rich and diverse, it shelters other endangered animals like the owl-faced monkey, blue monkey, and Congo peafowl, as well as amphibians that have been little studied.

On the socio-economic front, the inhabitants of the region face challenges such as lack of infrastructure including transportation and education, as well as hunger, poverty, and a lack of prospects that hinder local development.

2,190,831 hectares
of protected forest

+7,390,000 tons
of carbon avoided per year
(on average)

221,700,000 tons
of carbon reduced in
the atmosphere over 30 years

Project Name

Sankuru Peace Forest Grouped REDD Project

Ecosystem

Democratic Republic of Congo, Sankuru Province | Congo Basin

Project Type

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)

Standards

Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)
SocialCarbon (SC)
Climate Community and Biodiversity (CCB)

Start Date

12/30/2020

Duration

30 years

Partners

Bonobo Conservation Iniciative (BCI), Carbon Streaming

Registry

VERRA 3589

Conservation and protection of bonobo habitat
through social transformation of communities

Fighting legal and illegal deforestation and promoting sustainable agricultural production.

Preserving habitats for bonobos and other protected species such as the Congo peafowl and dwarf crocodile.

Social and economic development of the involved local populations.

Sustainable
long-term funding
for project actions.

Accelerated deforestation and hunting of wildlife are critical issues in the region. Therefore, our goal with this project is the conservation of the forest, its fauna, and flora through solutions that help communities reverse their extreme poverty situation, making conscientious and sustainable use of the land for the benefit of the entire ecosystem.

Learn more about our projects