Sustainable conservation of biodiversity in Akagera National Park

The NGO RECOR’s project takes place on the periphery of Akagera National Park (PNA), located in north-eastern Rwanda, more precisely 150 km from Kigali.

This park, bordering Tanzania, covers an area of 108,500 ha and hosts great diversity in both plant life (over 107 species) and animal life (90 mammal species, 530 bird species, 23 reptile species, 9 amphibian species and 35 fish species).

Partly under pressure from agricultural activities in the area, the park has lost 55% of its surface area since 1960. The lack of clear park boundaries contributes to worsening this situation. In parallel, human-wildlife conflicts are frequently observed outside the park, resulting in the destruction of crops and attacks on livestock and, at times, on people. This situation, in turn, drives local populations to poach various species.

In response to this situation, the project aims to plant a 10-ha (25 km by 4 m) sisal hedge of 200,000 plants along the periphery of the National Park (i.e. around 20,000 plants per ha). This planting aims to help demarcate the National Park while creating alternative economic opportunities for 160 families living on its periphery.