lefini-impact

 

  • Displacement: No available information.
  • Diminished livelihoods: Local communities have a restricted access to the reserve for their livelihood activities but benefit from customary rights. For instance, they can hunt if they had the right to do so before the reserve was created (IUCN/PACO 2012: 52,54; Wicander 2015: 53). As the limits of the reserve are not clearly delimited, communities use zones that overlap the protected area (Rayden 2014: 23).
  • Conflicts: Conflicts between local communities and park managers have been reported, caused notably by the uncertainty surrounding the limits of the reserve. (IUCN/PACO 2012). The reserve doesn’t have the support of local communities who feel their views are being ignored (Wicander 2015: 53)
  • Reported human rights abuses: No available information.
  • Income generating activities: There are no income generating activities in the area due to the lack of an efficient management programme and touristic facilities. WCS and Friends of Lefini Association have, however, reportedly been attempting to develop projects to improve communities’ well-being (IUCN/PACO 2012: 54).
  • Presence of indigenous peoples: No reported indigenous presence.
  • Prior consultation: No information available.
  • Participation and consultation: There is little or no consultation or involvement of local and indigenous communities in the management of the reserve. Two meetings with local communities were organised to raise awareness by the association of the friends of the Lefini reserve (Association des Amis de la Reserve de Léfini, ARELE) in 2009 and 2010 (Wicander 2015: 53). There is a memorandum of understanding between communities represented by the ARELE association and the protected area’s management regarding eco-tourism and monitoring of the north-western area. However, as of 2012, it wasn’t implemented on the ground (IUCN/PACO 2012: 54). In 2014, consultation and zoning exercises were held by WCS in partnership with the national afforestation service to establish fuel wood plantations in the community-based natural resources management area (Rayden 2014: 7).