Founder\u2019s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay\u2019s founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries.<\/p>\n
The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo isn\u2019t just killing people \u2014 it\u2019s tearing down forests, silencing activists, and fueling an illicit trade worth millions of dollars.<\/p>\n
The resurgence of the M23 rebel group in the eastern DRC since 2021 has triggered a humanitarian crisis, forcing hundreds of thousands of people throughout the province of North Kivu to flee.<\/p>\n
Yet another casualty has received less attention: the environment. The conflict is exacerbating deforestation, undermining conservation efforts, and fueling the illicit exploitation of natural resources.<\/p>\n
The Albertine Rift, home to the critically endangered eastern lowland and mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri and G. b. beringei), is under severe pressure. Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega National Parks, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, have become battlegrounds. Since late 2021, M23 has taken control of towns surrounding Virunga, including Rutshuru, Rwindi and Masisi; in February 2025, the group pushed into Kahuzi-Biega, seizing areas adjacent to the park\u2019s highland sector.<\/p>\n
Deforestation in Virunga has accelerated: In 2023, some 1,222 hectares (3,020 acres) of tree cover were lost in a charcoal production zone, more than double the annual average of 571 hectares (1,411 acres) from 2019-2022.<\/p>\n
Charcoal demand is a key driver. With 800,000 displaced people arriving in Goma, the North Kivu capital, the demand for charcoal has surged. With access to Virunga restricted, supply chains have shifted to Kahuzi-Biega.<\/p>\n
In 2023, deforestation in Kahuzi-Biega\u2019s charcoal production zone increased to 1,171 hectares (2,894 acres), up from 521 hectares (1,287 acres) annually over the previous four years. Illegal logging is surging in the park, facilitated by newly constructed ports on Lake Kivu.<\/p>\n
Armed groups have long profited from the region\u2019s natural wealth. The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) previously controlled much of Virunga\u2019s charcoal trade, but M23\u2019s territorial gains have disrupted this balance. The group now levies taxes on charcoal and timber transport.<\/p>\n
While M23 touts itself as a pro-conservation force, its environmental record is contradictory. It has banned charcoal production in some areas while profiting from the timber trade elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, since 1996, more than 200 park rangers have died in the line of duty.<\/p>\n
Caught in the crossfire are Indigenous groups such as the Batwa, forcibly displaced by the conflict and unable to access their forests for sustenance. Activists attempting to expose illicit extraction have been silenced, some fleeing, others disappearing.<\/p>\n
The future of the DRC\u2019s forests, and those who depend on them, hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n
This article<\/a> by Rhett Ayers Butler was first published by Mongabay.com on 28 March 2025. Lead Image: A mountain gorilla in Virunga National Park. Image by John Cannon\/Mongabay.<\/i><\/p>\n Wildlife continues to face threats, which include hunting, poaching, illegal trade in animal products, habitat loss as well as a rapidly changing climate.<\/p>\n Become a Wildlife Champion today by supporting our conservation partners<\/a> with a monthly donation as little as $1.<\/p>\nWhat you can do<\/h2>\n