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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
Trees Chopped Down for Fuel Wood
When Innocent was in the Ishasha area last weekend he saw a group of about 30 people carrying wood out of the park. Some were men, but many of them were women and children carrying incredibly heavy loads. They had chopped down wood within the park and were carrying it back home to cook with.
Innocent stopped and spoke to them. They openly said that they had taken advantage of the latest insecurity and had been taking wood from the park over the past couple months. Ever since we had to evacuate the Rangers from Lulimbi last November, there has been no-one to stop them.
It is obvious from the pictures that these people are very poor and just scraping a living, but the destruction of the park cannot continue like this. Tackling the energy problem in North Kivu is major priority and projects attempting to find viable alternatives are already underway, such the Briquette Project and WWF’s EcoMakala project.
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12 Responses to “Trees Chopped Down for Fuel Wood”
Do they never stop to consider what they’ll do when they’ve deforested all of Virunga? Maybe now that the global gag rule is again reversed we can help these people control their populations.
s.
Sheryl, I think they are too hungry, too poor and too marginalized to consider the wider or long-term implications of their acts. As Pierre notes, the real solution is to provide them with realistic solutions to their energy needs. I don’t think population control is the answer. Cheap, sustainable fuel is what they need and until they get it Virunga’s forests will remain at risk…. Ed
Great pictures Pierre!
Thanks for this report, Pierre, and for the links to the Briquette and EcoMakala projects.
Quite honestly, if having as only choice boiling my children’s water with illegal forest wood or having them drink dirty pond water, I wouldn’t hesitate a second; fortunately I have never been faced with such a choice. Alternative fuel and education are the solutions, hence Briquette Program, EcoMakala Project and School Desk and Bench for Future Gorilla Guardians. Iris
I have to say, I completely agree. We have to adopt an attitude of tolerance with regards to individuals who cut trees for the needs of their families. Most people around Virunga live in extreme poverty (earning less than a dollar a day), and they simply have no alternative but to cut the trees. For many of these families, no domestic fuelwood means starvation and disease, for themselves and for their children. It is up to those of us who can to create an alternative.
[...] to stop them. Click link for full text/increase funding for writer/producer of these words: http://gorillacd.org/2009/02/03/trees-chopped-down-for-fuel-wood/ It is obvious from the pictures that these people are very poor and just scraping a living, [...]
Right on, Iris! My thoughts exactly! Education is at the heart of the solution. Education all around. Education for men, woman and children. Education on everything from planned parenthood to alternative fuels and everything in between. Opening the doors to more options and more opportunities and hopefully closing the door on much of the suffering. I plan on making many donations on behalf of the new school and the fuel briquette program. I can’t wait until Virginia comes back. It will be like old times. : )
You are a wise leader Emmanuel and Virunga and the region is lucky to have you.
The tragedy of long-term persistent poverty and hunger infuses all the other issues that mean so much to all of us. Increased enforcement and policing is a short-term solution at best and will not protect the trees from being chopped down for firewood or the animals being slaughtered for food. The only long-term solution is to find ways to bring clean water, cheap fuel, and sufficient food to people who need it most.
Well put Dylan! Bravo!
Welll. i hope Virginia are in gongo with here briquete program. that stop peoples from desforesting the gorillas areas and all congo
Mail pour Emmanuel de la Merode
Bonjour,
Journaliste-producteur à la Radio Suisse Romande je réalise un magazine radiophonique hebdomadaire de 50 minutes entièrement consacré à l’environnement. Magazine Atlas, voir le site.
Je souhaiterais enregistrer avec vous un interview tétéphonique de 6 à 7 minutes à propos du trafic de charbon de bois dans le parc et de la menace pour l’environnement.
Si vous êtes d’accord, merci de m’indiquer par e-mail à quel numéro vous joindre et quand. Je vous appelerai et nous nous mettrons d’accord sur les questions et la date d’enregistrement.
Meilleures salutations
F.Benedetti
[...] to not just talk about our own scientific research. I also pointed her to the Virguna website and a story that appeared on the main blog the day after the hippo story, on 3 Feb 2009. Some persons were encountered carrying wood bundles [...]