Agency and Structure in Militarized Conservation and Armed Mobilization: Evidence from Eastern DRC's Kahuzi‐Biega National Park

Militarized conservation in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), plays an ambivalent role in regional security and stability. While it provides a basic level of law and order at the forest's edge, it also contributes to violent outcomes for certain groups and creates a resource-rich terrain that serves as a staging ground for broader conflicts. The study finds that fortress conservation, though contributing to one major incident of violent resistance, is marginal in shaping the actions of armed insurgent groups. Instead, these groups are influenced by legacies of poverty, insecurity, geographical features, and illicit trading networks. This perspective emerges when placing the park within the broader political economy and history of the DRC, severely constraining the agency of conservation organizations.

Simpson, F. O., & Pellegrini, L. (2023). Agency and Structure in Militarized Conservation and Armed Mobilization: Evidence from Eastern DRC’s Kahuzi‐Biega National Park. Development and Change, 54(3), 601–640. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/dech.12764