Upemba National Park (UNP)

Episode 3 of the Keystones Podcast is now available on YouTube and Spotify! In this episode I speak with Christine (Tina) Lain, park manager at the Upemba National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She is also the Director of Forgotten Parks DRC, which works with the Wildlife Authority of the Congo to manage, rehabilitate and develop Upemba. Upemba is an extraordinary park encompassing 1.3 million hectares. Preserving it is essential to protecting crucial ecosystems in the region.

A look back at the workshop to strengthen stock management mechanisms for wild fauna and flora products organized by Forgotten Parks Foundation (FPF) in partnership with Elephant Protection Initiative, from June 17 to 20, 2024 in Lubumbashi. The workshop took place under the theme: “Training on procedures for managing wildlife product storage, storage facilities and the inventory management system (SMS) in the DRC.” Attendees were representatives from the General and Provincial offices of the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, ICCN, and from both Upemba and Kundelungu national parks. The workshop was part of the support project to develop standards for the management of ivory and other wildlife products in 9 African countries including the DRC. Under this project, one storage facility is already operational and two others are in the rehabilitation process, all in the Katanga region. _________ Retour en image sur l’atelier de renforcement des mécanismes de gestion des stocks des produits de la faune et flore sauvages organisé par Forgotten Parks Foundation (FPF) en partenariat avec Elephant Protection Initiative, du 17 au 20 juin 2024 à Lubumbashi. L'atelier s’est déroulé sous le thème : « Formation sur les procédures de Gestion des magasins de stockage de produits d'espèces sauvages et le système de Gestion de stocks (SMS) en RDC » et a connu la participation des représentants de la Direction Générale et la Direction provinciale de L'Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, ICCN, les parcs nationaux de l’Upemba et Kundelungu. Cet atelier s’inscrit dans le projet d’accompagnement pour développer les normes d’or de gestion de l’ivoire et d’autres produits de la faune sauvage dans 9 pays d’Afrique dont la RDC. Sous ce projet, un magasin est déjà opérationnel et deux autres sont en processus de réhabilitation, tous dans la région du Katanga. Video: Courtesy

Today, we invite you in the field with the Biomonitoring team and rangers posted in the southern sector of the park as they embark on an adventure in search of our dear buffalos. In a bid to quantify the wealthy biodiversity of Upemba, discover the magic of its topography and hydrography, the team has managed to put in place scientific mechanisms for tracking the various species in the park. With a youthful energy, the narration of Esther CHANGWA displays the thrill and excitement of conservation despite the challenges. You can support our work by visiting the https://lnkd.in/dEuEH9Fd _________________ Aujourd'hui, nous vous invitons sur le terrain avec l'équipe de Biomonitoring et les rangers postés dans le secteur sud du parc qui se lancent dans une aventure à la recherche de nos buffles. Dans le but de quantifier la riche biodiversité de l'Upemba, de découvrir l'enchantement de sa topographie et de son hydrographie, l'équipe a réussi à mettre en place des mécanismes scientifiques de suivi des différentes espèces du parc. Avec une énergie juvénile, la narration d’Esther Changwa montre le frisson et l’enthousiasme de la conservation malgré les défis. Vous pouvez soutenir notre travail en visitant le https://lnkd.in/dEuEH9Fd Images: Esther CHANGWA Head of mission: Ruffin Mpanga Edited: Comms Department c/o Amandla Longangi Antonio

Forgotten Parks Foundation kicked off a Stockpile Management Workshop yesterday, June 18, 2024 in Lubumbashi. The workshop is conducted under the theme: “Training on wildlife product storage management procedures and the inventory management system (SMS) in the DRC.” The workshop is held in partnership with Elephant Protection Initiative, with the participants from the Upemba National Park (UNP), Kundelungu National Park, and both offices of the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, ICCN (ICCN-DG and ICCN-Katanga). Full story coming soon on https://lnkd.in/dhqqeH_d ___________ Forgotten Parks Foundation a lancé hier, le 18 juin 2024, un atelier sur la gestion des stocks à Lubumbashi. L'atelier se déroule sous le thème : « Formation sur les procédures de Gestion des magasins de stockage de produits d'espèces sauvages et le système de Gestion de stocks (SMS) en RDC ». L'atelier se déroule en partenariat avec Elephant Protection Initiative, avec les participants venant du Parc National de l'Upemba, Parc National de Kundelungu et des deux bureaux de l'Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN-DG et ICCN-Katanga). L'histoire complète sera bientôt disponible sur https://lnkd.in/dhqqeH_d Photo: Courtesy

The High Cost of Conservation in the DRC On June 13, 2024, we lost another one of our rangers in what has been the second attack by Mai Mai militia group in six months. Since the beginning of 2024, Upemba National Park has lost two rangers, and another one was severely wounded in the January attack. This shouldn’t have to become the new normal for conservation in DR-Congo. Mukambilwa Bunia Mustapha was a young, dedicated man. It was not always easy for him. He had to endure quite a lot of hardships with and for us, but he didn’t give up on Upemba and he came back to us stronger than before. His professionalism and dedication made him stand out above others and that’s why he was promoted as second in command at the Mabwe substation. Mabwe is one of the key conservation areas of Upemba National Park, it is where we have the last remaining pure savanna elephants of DRC. His death marks another difficult page for conservation in DRC: how can rangers continue protecting these gentle giants if they are being attacked by armed groups? Last year in June, another of his colleagues, Banze Mupafu Erasme, was killed by the same militia group during an elephant recon patrol. How do you explain to a family that has lost its child, husband, brother and father that this can happen, that protecting wildlife and nature makes you a target…? In such moments, as a park manager, you wonder what can be done to prevent this from happening again. Yes, we can build a better base, with better protection, we can have a ‘fortress’ to protect the lives of our rangers, but for how long? The fact that we still have armed groups seeking refuge and resources in protected areas is and remains a real issue. There is no easy or one size fits all solution, and it is going to take us some time to find the appropriate answer to all these questions. We must find these answers, because we want this to stop. Today, we mourn Mustapha, we feel powerless in front of the pain of his family and children, but we won’t give up on Upemba and its elephants, like he didn’t. We will continue his work and the work of his fallen colleagues for the survival of Upemba and of all of us. Images: Courtesy of Rewild Africa c/o Carter Kirilenko & Justin Sullivan Find the link here: https://lnkd.in/exg2NEUN

"Yes, we can build a better base, with better protection, we can have a ‘fortress’ to protect the lives of our rangers, but for how long?" - Christine (Tina) Lain Read the full tribute through the link below. ___________ Oui, nous pouvons construire une meilleure base, avec une meilleure protection, nous pouvons avoir une « forteresse » pour protéger la vie de nos rangers, mais pour combien de temps ? - Christine Lain Lisez l’hommage complet via le lien ci-dessous https://lnkd.in/dPJiP8nF

The Upemba National Park (UNP) regrets to announce the death of one of its brave rangers, OPJ Mukambilwa Bunia Mustapha, who died this Thursday, June 13, 2024 in the Bukama territory. OPJ Mustapha lost his life defending the Mabwe substation which was attacked by Mai-Mai militias on the morning of June 13. Another protector who has just fallen, victim of the barbarity of the enemies of conservation. May his star shine brighter and his soul rest in peace. More in the communiqué! ____________ Le parc national de l’Upemba (PNU) a le regret de vous annoncer le décès d’un des ces braves écogardes, l’OPJ Mukambilwa Bunia Mustapha, mort ce jeudi 13 juin 2024 dans le territoire de Bukama. L’OPJ Mustapha a perdu sa vie en défendant la sous-station de Mabwe qui était attaquée par des milices Mai-Mai dans la matinée du 13 juin. Un autre protecteur qui vient de tomber, victime de la barbarie des ennemis de la conservation. Que son étoile brille encore plus fort et que son âme repose en paix. Plus dans le communiqué !

Join us for an engaging fireside chat to explore how your brand can fund verified research and make a tangible impact through the SNI EcoBadges initiative. Learn directly from our eco steward partners: • AIMM – Marine Environment Research Association • AQUASEARCH SARL • Forgotten Parks Foundation • Kenya Wildlife Trust • Macaw Recovery Network • WeWilder Discover their inspiring projects, understand how they create real-world impact, and see how your brand can support these initiatives through EcoBadges. Elevate your CSR and marketing strategies by integrating meaningful, verified ecological data. Host: Alessandro Mazzi, Head of Partnerships and Field Research Don’t miss this chance to connect with leading conservationists and elevate your brand’s sustainability efforts.

Upemba has received a healthy level of attention and support from various entities and organizations. That’s a testimony to the importance of the park and its biodiversity. Six months since the year began, and 85 years since creation, the voice of Upemba is echoing a story of resilience. Join this story of a rising forgotten park. Visit www.upemba.org to find out how! __________ Upemba a reçu un bon niveau d’attention et d'appui de la part de diverses entités et organisations. C’est un témoignage de l’importance du parc et de sa biodiversité. Six mois depuis le début de l'année et 85 ans depuis sa création, la voix du PNU fait écho à une histoire de résilience. Rejoignez cette histoire de la renaissance d'un parc oublié. Visitez www.upemba.org pour découvrir comment ! 📸 Eva de Ravel / UNP

The Tellus team has recently returned from Upemba National Park in South East DRC where we are working with Forgotten Parks Foundation (FPF) to develop two market based programmes in and around the park. Upemba is vast national park, straddling 13,000 sq/km of rolling savannah, gallery forest and wetlands. Its beauty lies in its variety. A short walk through the rolling grasslands and into the deep valleys cloaked in Miombo forest can feel like a different world. Like many protected areas in sub-Saharan Africa Upemba is under intense pressure from illegal activity including poaching, mining and fire. Indeed the park is now largely devoid of large mammals after years of illegal poaching. However FPF in partnership with the ICCN is working hard to provide the governance and management to turn this trajectory around. Tellus is proud to be working with places like Upemba to help facilitate sustainable, long term financing to the most precious places on our planet. To learn more about our work in Upemba and elsewhere please get in touch.