Gold Miners Removed From Conkouati-Douli National Park
More than one hundred illegal gold miners were recently ejected from the Conkouati-Douli National Park following an operation led by the Congolese Ministry of Forestry Economy and the Environment (MFEE) and law enforcement authorities. The illegal gold miners were found inside the integrally protected zone of the national park, and the joint operation between MFEE and law enforcement personnel was organised after months' of surveillance by MFEE and WCS-Congo staff. The operation represents a significant step forward in the battle to remove illegal natural resource exploitation inside the national park boundaries.
Mining for diamonds and gold is quite common in the Congo Basin, again often resulting in environmental degradation. Digging for diamonds and panning for gold, which takes place in small streams, can destroy these fragile ecosystems. The direct impact is mostly localized, but indirect impacts such as sedimentation, pollution, and poaching can be quite widespread.