Narrator: The second-largest country in Africa lies
in the heart of the continent. Known as the DRC, the Democratic Republic
of the Congo suffered civil war between 1997 and 2003.
Perhaps the only good thing to come of the civil wars are
the country's vast, untouched forests, which weren't logged because war was
bad for business. But what will happen to this vital resource
now that stability is returning to the DRC? And how can local communities
take ownership of this, their home, and secure a better future?
[Music]
The DRC
has not had any formal system of land tenure. I've been working
with the African Wildlife Foundation. And we've been working with them to lend
our spatial data expertise, remote sensing
capabilites, analysis of satellite imagery to help them with
their on-the-ground zoning activities, which they're
formalizing with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for
land rights and for land-use planning with local communities.
Narrator: Spatial data expertise, remote sensing capabilities.
What do these words mean exactly? For over 10 years this
satellite has been orbiting the Earth. It's called Landsat 7.
And with every loop it takes around our planet it collects information about the Earth's surface,
which people like Janet can then interpret. So we can feed
information derived from Landsat imagery into a variety of models
for land-use planning in this landscape. And one thing, one way
we've been using it is to identify the areas of highest conservation priority.
[Music]
So we've been working in Moringa Lopori Wamba landscape, which I sometimes call
MLW. It's in northern DRC; it's a bit--
about the size of South Carolina, and it's
full of tropical moist forest. They're using Landsat imagery.
We are able to zoom in on this particular forested area connecting
two protected area in the east central part of MLW landscape.
And it's an important corridor for the migration of Bonobos between the protected
areas, as well as other terrestrial species. Narrator: Once the
AWF identified this critical area for conservation it began working with
the government and local communities on mapping the region.
The mapping process has a dual benefit of preserving biodiversity
and helping local villagers to secure their own land-use rights.
Narrator: During the DRC war, humans
hid in the forest to escape violent conflict. It was their refuge.
And still now the forest provides them with food, air and shelter.
With the help of Landsat imagery this vital resource can be
managed and preserved, for the benefit of wildlife and
generations to come.