Quantitative ethnobotany of multiple-use species and management of the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (YBR) is confronted to huge challenge for
the livelihood of local communities and biodiversity or natural resources
conservation. The lack of scientific information on the spatial
distribution of useful woody species is a constraint to develop the
sustainable management of forest resources. Hence the relevance of this
study, carried out in the villages of Yaselia, Lilanda and Bagbanye,
located on the outskirts of this protected area of YBR. It aims to
identify the most useful woody species and analyse their socio-cultural
use value, number of uses based on local community’s commitments as well
as to determine their abundance beyond village forests, to contribute to
reforestation and conservation policies in the Yangambi landscape. To do
this, we combined an ethnobotanical survey with a forest inventory. The
results obtained showed that species such as Entandrophragma cylindricum,
Petersianthus macrocarpus, Ricinodendron heudelotti, Scorodophloeus
zenkeri, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Uapaca guineensis, Blighia welwitschii,
Chrysophyllum lacourtianum, Dacryodes edulis, and Gilbertiondendron
dewevrei, have high use and cultural value for local communities.
Unfortunately, these species of high use and socio-cultural value are in
low density in the village forests around the YBR. These results emphasize
the necessity to implement as promptly as possible a management strategy
including these useful species. This could be done through sustainable
traditional agroforestry projects which will valorise existing resources
and generate income for the local population to meet their livelihoods and
avoid their incursion into the YBR which is the biodiversity sanctuary.