CAFEC FY16 SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT: OCTOBER 1, 2015 – MARCH 31, 2016

The project's FY16 semi-annual report highlights significant accomplishments in the last six months, from October 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016. A key aspect of the project's efforts has been the establishment of a co-management agreement between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN). This agreement has led to the development of a joint roadmap for 2016, which aims to ensure a sound start for the co-management structure. The roadmap includes the development and formalization of the Salonga National Park Executive Team (Unité de Gestion - UGPNS) through the definition of its organizational structure, recruitment of positions, and formalization of the UGPNS and the Steering Committee. Capacity building at the landscape level has taken place through environmental education in schools in Oshwe Territory, with formal courses for over 220 students from different schools. Additionally, an exchange forum has been set up at the University of Kinshasa to promote CAFEC's activities at a national level and discuss environmental issues with institutional partners and students. The project has also focused on reinforcing the integrity of the Salonga National Park. The park's headquarters in Monkoto has been rehabilitated, and a workshop was organized to finalize the Management Plan for the Salonga National Park. The Business Plan has been elaborated, and a surveillance strategy for Salonga has been developed. Law enforcement activities within the park have been maintained, with 57 missions deployed, totaling 5,447 man-hours and 7,317 km of patrols. Over 2,000 traps have been removed from the forest, and 211 hunting camps have been destroyed. The preliminary results of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation show a management context of 10%, planning of 40%, equipment of 20%, processes of 18%, results of 22%, and impact of 40%. Special attention has been given to the deployment of two new rapid intervention forces, which are largely made up of the 'elite' ICCN ecoguards. These intervention teams go on long missions to areas known to be heavily poached, in order to "clean out" the areas of poachers and raise awareness in the surrounding villages on the limits of the Park, when necessary. WWF supports and coordinates the overall anti-poaching activities of the Park, while ZSM and WCS specifically support anti-poaching throughout the area where most of their research takes place. The project has also received support from ZSM, which provides financial, technical, and logistical support to enhance the capacity of law enforcement patrols. ZSM has contributed to missions organized throughout the Watsi Kengo and Mondjoku sector, and WCS has concentrated on the Lokofa block, situated in the northern part of the Monkoto sector. Overall, the CAFEC project's efforts have focused on strengthening protected area management capacity, reinforcing the integrity of the Salonga National Park, and maintaining law enforcement activities within the park. The project's accomplishments in the last six months demonstrate its commitment to conservation efforts in the region.