Comparing forest product harvest rates and livelihood activities among migrant and Indigenous households in the Congo Basin

Recent migrants to the Congo Basin's forests, including those near Okapi Wildlife Reserve, are less likely to engage in forest-harvest-based livelihoods and harvest fewer forest foods and fibers compared to longer-established or Indigenous households. They tend to be wealthier, younger, and more represented in salaried jobs. Indigenous households, however, show a significantly higher likelihood of participating in forest-based livelihoods, with variations across sites influenced by remoteness and economic opportunities. The study, based on over 6500 household surveys, highlights the changing dynamics of forest-proximate communities and their implications for forest management and governance.

L’Roe, J., Shanley Barr, G., Detoeuf, D., Wieland, M., Ikati, B., Enduyi Kimuha, M., Sandrin, F., Bilua, D., Bondeko, G., Londza, Y., Bakabana, P., Mavah, G., Evans, B., & Wilkie, D. (2023). Comparing forest product harvest rates and livelihood activities among migrant and Indigenous households in the Congo Basin. Forest Policy and Economics, 157, 103089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2023.103089