Using wildlife conservation drones in Burundi

DW (English)

Burundi’s natural habitat was badly damaged during its civil war—and it's now under threat from population pressure and poaching. Conservation drones and local communities are helping protect wildlife.

Transcript

00:00One of the few remaining highlights in Burundi's national parks,

00:04chimpanzees, but they too are endangered.

00:08Decades of over exploitation of the natural environment

00:12have left their mark. In many places, antelopes and

00:16elephants have disappeared completely. Only smaller animals have survived years

00:20of poaching.

00:21The settlement surrounding many parks are a big problem.

00:25Burundi's population is growing and much of the farmland

00:29is depleted. So several years ago Justin Saviyumba

00:33moved into Viyanda Forest Nature Reserve and began farming there.

00:37I grow different types of crops here in this nature reserve because it is more

00:46fertile and I don't have much land to farm.

00:49I grow beans, cassava, maize and other crops.

00:53But he won't be able to stay here much longer.

00:59His illegal farm was discovered by drones that are now being used to monitor

01:03Burundi's nature reserves.

01:04They've helped improve the situation in conservation areas according to

01:09drone pilot Bruce Abarungira.

01:17This new technology is unprecedented and allows us to protect the environment.

01:22Now there are areas where the forests are no longer being cleared and animals

01:27are safe again. Before the drones were introduced, the situation was worrying.

01:31Strengthening this technology is crucial if we want to achieve sustainable

01:36results

01:37with conservation.

01:41Authorities and conservation organizations are now working together.

01:46Samuel Navitanga from Burundi's Environment Ministry frequently mediates

01:50in conflicts over boundary disputes

01:52between the parks and the farmland.

01:54Now boundary markers are supposed to clearly

01:58identify borders.

02:03People say they don't see where their property lines go to

02:06even though there is a map. So we are doing this to make sure the

02:11conservation areas'

02:12boundaries are recognized. Meanwhile a major awareness-raising campaign

02:18is underway in the surrounding communities. Locals are learning about

02:22environment issues, nature conservation and sustainable

02:25agriculture and how they can change their practices.

02:29The communities are helping

02:36save Burundi's conservation areas from disappearing.

02:40That encourages me to keep going.

02:45Together we've developed a sustainable economic

02:50model.

02:54Leonidas Nzigiyima is the director of 3C

02:58or Conservation and Community Change, a Burundian conservation group.

03:02It helps procure the drones. The NGO also develops programs to provide new

03:07financial opportunities

03:09for villagers who are mostly poor. This includes a solidarity saving bank

03:14that grants more loans.

03:19The members of this group meet regularly

03:24to discuss how to spend their capital or

03:27their joint fund and also to talk about the forest,

03:31the trees planted, about conservation.

03:34So it's a model approach

03:37that creates a win-win situation for biodiversity and

03:42for the communities.

03:45The project has been well received by local communities.

03:50Many have begun to respect nature more and are trying out new farming concepts.

03:55The 3C organization has taught us a lot about

04:02biodiversity and agriculture. We used to

04:06poach animals in Kibira Park, but now we are helping protect it.

04:12The training from 3C

04:16have also helped us to increase our agricultural production.

04:20But this is just a first step, says Samuel Navitanga.

04:27Burundi has ambitious plans to restore its wildlife.

04:32Species will be reintroduced in the park of Kibira and Rusiizi.

04:37We will hire a consultant and carry out studies.

04:44Based on the results of these studies,

04:47we will be able to determine the species to be reintroduced.

04:51The hope is that the wild animals will also attract more tourists

04:58to Burundi and thus bring much-needed revenue.

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