The Sarambwe Gorilla Special Reserve
On June 21st, 2003, the Sarambwe Reserve was granted the status of a
Special Reserve, which will prevent possible conflicts regarding the reserve
in the future. Its 900 ha area includes several mountains and forest patches;
part of the area is a multiple use zone. It extends from the summit of
Mt. Sarambwe in the north to the border between Congo and Uganda in the
east, from Kikumiliro to the source of the river Ivi in the south, and
to the source of the Kanyabusinini in the west.
The motivation behind the change of status was the necessity to take Sarambwe
out of the remainder of the Rutshuru Hunting Domain, of which it was an
integral part, so that the "Réserve Spéciale de Gorilles
de Sarambwe" (Sarambwe Gorilla Special Reserve) could be established.
This was necessary in order to protect biodiversity, including gorillas,
and the forested fringe of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
Luckily, the protected area now extends onto the Congolese side of the
mountain and therefore protects the sources of rivers that bring water
to the Virunga National Park and provide drinking water for the inhabitants
of Binza. Apart from biodiversity conservation, the aim of the reserve
is to support the socio-economic development of the population.
The ICCN is charged with the implementation of the order, which will come
into effect on the date of signature. After the announcement of the creation
of the special reserve and three months after the planting of Erythrina
trees, the Peace Parks Project (PPP) initiated the second phase
of boundary demarcation in collaboration with the ICCN and other partners
of the Virunga National Park. This second phase included the cutting of
strips to allow the Erythrina to grow rapidly, erection of boundary
demarcation plaques, and the planting of Cordia trees.
Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo
Claude Sikubwabo Kiyengo conducted a gorilla survey in the Maiko National Park from 1989 to 1992, and in 1994 he took part in the gorilla census in Kahuzi-Biega. After that he worked for the ICCN in Goma and from 2000 to 2004 for the IUCN program PPP. After having worked for IUCN to develop programs that will be implemented during the next years, he joined ICCN again in 2006.