Using the support from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), Forest of Hope Association in collaboration with leaders in Rutsiro District established six community committees to help in the monitoring of protection activities and to report crimes to law enforcement officials.

In November 2015, These committees have been trained in environmental, mining, forestry and wildlife laws, and related punitive sanctions. This training was focusing on articles of the laws that are directly related to the natural resources management and environmental protection in general. These members acquired knowledge that helped them to understand how they will be engaging their colleagues in the communities to participate in the Park protection.

Community committees after the training

They have been trained by trainers from different institutions who know very well the area and this has been an opportunity to discuss possible solutions for cases happening in the Gishwati-Mukura National Park referring to the knowledge acquired.

The Environmental Protection Specialist of MINIRENA presenting about the environmental law

FHA has also provided phones and rain gears to those committees, and will continue providing airtime to facilitate their everyday activities.

Community committees received some material to facilitate their work

The Community Committees are working as mediators of the forest management team, local leaders and communities, by monitoring the protection activities, providing information relevant to the forest protection, educating their colleagues. Nowadays, community committees are helping CFPI Agents (eco-guards) to know people who are suspected to use the forest resources illegally to be reached and educated. They also started participating in the joint patrol with CFPI Agents as well as helping in cases of emergency. The result was shown by a decline in firewood collection activities and cattle grazing and mining activities inside this new National Park starting by September 2015.

Also, the result from the work of Community Forest Protection Initiative Committees have emphasized the invaluable place that must be taken by the communities in the conservation of a given protected areas. We have realized that this strengthened collaboration and joint practices with the communities is highly supporting and strengthening the protection of Gishwati-Mukura National Park.

Gishwati-Mukura National Park has been gazetted. This is the time to acknowledge the effort of local communities and their leaders in the conservation of the Gishwati-Mukura National Park. This is the result of their participation. We thank very much our Donors and Partner for their contribution to this achievement. We hope to continue our partnership to strengthen the conservation of Gishwati-Mukura National Park.

The picture of the current Community Forest Protection Initiative team