Risks
Given the ISODATA and NDVI data collected it is now evident that there is a concerning amount of deforestation occurring around Virunga National Park. However, given these results conclusions must be made in order to determine the best possible options to reverse these trends. Beginning in the 1990s there was a huge increase in human populations travelling through and around the region. Fighting and the genocide in Rwanda led to more humans going in and out of the area, leading up to the liberation of the country that saw hundreds of thousands of refugees travelling through the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As these groups continued to move they eventually set up refugee camps around the Virunga National Park region as it resided close to Rwanda. The result of all this left the area surrounding Virunga among the regions with the highest human population densities in Africa (400-600 people per square kilometer). As human populations increased so did the need for timber in the area, in addition to increased hunting and gathering by these populations. Given this and the ongoing conflict resulting from Civil Wars and rebel groups from 1996-2003, it is safe to say that there is a fair amount of human disturbance that may in fact be the cause of a lot of the deforestation found here.
Additionally, there has recently been an increased interest in surveying for oil within the boundaries of Virunga. British oil company Soco International PLC has conducted aerial surveys with the goal of finding potential oil wells under the surface of this land. Given that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has listed Africa’s oldest national park as a World Heritage Site since 1979 it seems unfathomable that a permit would be granted to an oil company to explore this region for oil. Oil developments can have negative impacts on surrounding biodiversity, as well as those who inhabit the area. Paving land for roads, digging trenches to lay pipelines, the threat of oil leaks and even creating a possible geothermal disturbance are all outcomes that can result from oil exploration. In fact currently oil concessions cover 85% of the park, while the area around Mount Nyiragongo is outside of these concession blocks in order to preserve the main habitat of the Mountain Gorilla (gorilla beringei beringei). Meanwhile, throughout all of this one fact that doesn’t receive as much publicity is related to the resource cursed landscape of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Given that oil is a much sought after resource, there is undoubtedly a number of illegal mining operations looking to obtain this resource in order to attempt to sell or to fund localized militant needs. That being said the news that there is oil to be found in the Virunga region may bring a number of setbacks in any plan to reinvigorate the region.
Then there’s the angle of global climate change. As mentioned before the Rwenzori Glacier Retreat is responsible for a 50% decrease in glacial cover over the past 20 years. As recorded in 1987, the glaciers in the Rwenzori made up 2.55 square kilometers, which as of 2006 went down to 1.31 square kilometers. Given that the glacial decline is evident in the Landsat images, it is also very likely that climate change may be the cause of a drying pattern within the Virunga region as well. As indicated in a report from the International Journal of Climatology glacier retreat in the area can be attributed to a number of variables in the region. Some of these factors include: solar radiation, sublimation, air temperature, sea surface temperatures related to neighboring bodies of water and East African rainfall levels. Of those solar radiation, air temperature and East African rainfall levels each have a direct influence on vegetation in the surrounding area. If these are factors which have been identified as having an influence on glacial retreat then it’s likely that these also have a role in the deforestation of Virunga.
Additionally, there has recently been an increased interest in surveying for oil within the boundaries of Virunga. British oil company Soco International PLC has conducted aerial surveys with the goal of finding potential oil wells under the surface of this land. Given that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has listed Africa’s oldest national park as a World Heritage Site since 1979 it seems unfathomable that a permit would be granted to an oil company to explore this region for oil. Oil developments can have negative impacts on surrounding biodiversity, as well as those who inhabit the area. Paving land for roads, digging trenches to lay pipelines, the threat of oil leaks and even creating a possible geothermal disturbance are all outcomes that can result from oil exploration. In fact currently oil concessions cover 85% of the park, while the area around Mount Nyiragongo is outside of these concession blocks in order to preserve the main habitat of the Mountain Gorilla (gorilla beringei beringei). Meanwhile, throughout all of this one fact that doesn’t receive as much publicity is related to the resource cursed landscape of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Given that oil is a much sought after resource, there is undoubtedly a number of illegal mining operations looking to obtain this resource in order to attempt to sell or to fund localized militant needs. That being said the news that there is oil to be found in the Virunga region may bring a number of setbacks in any plan to reinvigorate the region.
Then there’s the angle of global climate change. As mentioned before the Rwenzori Glacier Retreat is responsible for a 50% decrease in glacial cover over the past 20 years. As recorded in 1987, the glaciers in the Rwenzori made up 2.55 square kilometers, which as of 2006 went down to 1.31 square kilometers. Given that the glacial decline is evident in the Landsat images, it is also very likely that climate change may be the cause of a drying pattern within the Virunga region as well. As indicated in a report from the International Journal of Climatology glacier retreat in the area can be attributed to a number of variables in the region. Some of these factors include: solar radiation, sublimation, air temperature, sea surface temperatures related to neighboring bodies of water and East African rainfall levels. Of those solar radiation, air temperature and East African rainfall levels each have a direct influence on vegetation in the surrounding area. If these are factors which have been identified as having an influence on glacial retreat then it’s likely that these also have a role in the deforestation of Virunga.
Solutions
Direct human disturbance seen by Rwandan refugees and local human populations have caused a fair amount of deforestation. However, despite the clearing and use of vegetation for the needs of these individuals the introduction of these groups has created some beneficial effects for the environment. Since there is ongoing violence between groups many of these populations are too afraid to travel far from their territory in fear of being attacked by a rival group. As a result, regions pop up that show an increase in biodiversity in between the regions these groups are centralized. Animals such as lions, hyenas and elephants have each seen their numbers go up in phases due to this effect. However, this is a result that cannot be depended on and doesn’t do much to help the deforestation problem present in the DMC. Instead focusing on the threat imposed by the groups in question, UNESCO should look into declaring the region around Virunga a formally demilitarized zone. Creating these peace parks would allow the conservation of locations where the biodiversity has wide stemming ecological benefits. Since invaders would most likely be a militant group themselves, it is more than likely for armed personnel to be employed in order to properly deal with these individuals. However, in addition to creating at-risk employment there is also a risk in forcefully imposing laws on those who choose to operate outside of the government’s eye. Donations from organizations concerned about the matter, such as the World Wildlife Fund and United Heritage Foundation, could go into employing these types of positions. However, given the fragile political landscape of the DRC and the reluctance of the government to address this issue without major conflict it is hard to say such a proposal would gain traction.
In regards to the local drilling concerns, the state should try to avert short term financial gain and instead look to preserve it’s already established non-exhaustible resource. Investing in the preservation of the pristine landscape of Virunga National Park will see an increase in the tourism industry that focuses on local treasures such as the fauna and mountain gorillas. Oil drilling will introduce an unprecedented amount of risk if the decision is made to begin drilling in a site that is considered either unstable, or capable of damaging the delicate ecosystem of a national park. Not only will the DRC never be able to recover publicly if such an event were to occur, but local tourism, fishing and villages will be severely impacted as well. Additionally, altering the landscape in a major way such as this will affect the distribution of the Critically Endangered IUCN Red List mountain gorillas. Currently habitat degradation and poaching is already negatively impacting the spread of this species. From the period between 1992 and 2000 it is believed that 12-17 gorillas of a group around 350 have died as a result of direct military activity. If an alpha male is killed in a group of gorillas, the remaining members disband to join other groups- where the new alpha will kill any infant gorillas to allow the female to ovulate faster. Going along with this is the impact from the loss of any females, which are able to bear and raise children in such a limited population. By allowing drilling these groups will flee to concentrated areas, which by limiting their territory ultimately places a cap on their growth potential. While the preservation of gorillas should be an important focus, it isn’t the only species unique to the region, as Virunga supports more individual species than most places across the globe. The WWF are making their own efforts by convincing the Congolese government to halt all oil related activities until a strategic environmental decision can be made. Until their final verdict the best outcome for the biodiversity and vegetation of Virunga is that they ultimately decide to prohibit all forms of oiling in the region.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many local solutions to the climate change that contributes to the daunting condition of Virunga’s deforestation. However, what the data collected does provide is evidence that there is at least one of the aforementioned factors is creating a negative influence in the area. In the tropics there is little to no climate variability, the region experiences practically the same temperature because there is no seasonal change. As a result if there is any kind of change related to climate increase this more than likely represents evidence supporting a global warming pattern since the region has few variables relating to temperature. Any kind of human disturbance occurring around the park would be huge because it would indicate a need for the Congo government to focus on militant rebel groups and provides a legitimate reason to respond to the violence ongoing in the region and set parameters for the local populations. Doing so can create a plan that can both help the park and help the local population by creating a sustainable model that works with the environment, rather than destroying it. Finally it would be interesting to overlay the known documented oiling sites and see the change in vegetation around these sites. Combining these sets of data could in fact show any negative trends that may be associated with these sites, in addition to unveiling potential locations where illegal drilling operations may be occurring.
In regards to the local drilling concerns, the state should try to avert short term financial gain and instead look to preserve it’s already established non-exhaustible resource. Investing in the preservation of the pristine landscape of Virunga National Park will see an increase in the tourism industry that focuses on local treasures such as the fauna and mountain gorillas. Oil drilling will introduce an unprecedented amount of risk if the decision is made to begin drilling in a site that is considered either unstable, or capable of damaging the delicate ecosystem of a national park. Not only will the DRC never be able to recover publicly if such an event were to occur, but local tourism, fishing and villages will be severely impacted as well. Additionally, altering the landscape in a major way such as this will affect the distribution of the Critically Endangered IUCN Red List mountain gorillas. Currently habitat degradation and poaching is already negatively impacting the spread of this species. From the period between 1992 and 2000 it is believed that 12-17 gorillas of a group around 350 have died as a result of direct military activity. If an alpha male is killed in a group of gorillas, the remaining members disband to join other groups- where the new alpha will kill any infant gorillas to allow the female to ovulate faster. Going along with this is the impact from the loss of any females, which are able to bear and raise children in such a limited population. By allowing drilling these groups will flee to concentrated areas, which by limiting their territory ultimately places a cap on their growth potential. While the preservation of gorillas should be an important focus, it isn’t the only species unique to the region, as Virunga supports more individual species than most places across the globe. The WWF are making their own efforts by convincing the Congolese government to halt all oil related activities until a strategic environmental decision can be made. Until their final verdict the best outcome for the biodiversity and vegetation of Virunga is that they ultimately decide to prohibit all forms of oiling in the region.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many local solutions to the climate change that contributes to the daunting condition of Virunga’s deforestation. However, what the data collected does provide is evidence that there is at least one of the aforementioned factors is creating a negative influence in the area. In the tropics there is little to no climate variability, the region experiences practically the same temperature because there is no seasonal change. As a result if there is any kind of change related to climate increase this more than likely represents evidence supporting a global warming pattern since the region has few variables relating to temperature. Any kind of human disturbance occurring around the park would be huge because it would indicate a need for the Congo government to focus on militant rebel groups and provides a legitimate reason to respond to the violence ongoing in the region and set parameters for the local populations. Doing so can create a plan that can both help the park and help the local population by creating a sustainable model that works with the environment, rather than destroying it. Finally it would be interesting to overlay the known documented oiling sites and see the change in vegetation around these sites. Combining these sets of data could in fact show any negative trends that may be associated with these sites, in addition to unveiling potential locations where illegal drilling operations may be occurring.