WCS-Congo > WCS Projects > Lac Tele Community Reserve

The Lac Télé Community Reserve in the Likouala Department of northern Congo covers nearly 4,500 km2 of wetland habitat, and boasts important populations of large mammals, including high densities of western lowland gorillas and over 300 species of birds. Twenty-seven villages are located in or around the reserve, and the villagers depend heavily on its biological resources for fish, agriculture, construction materials, canoes, and medicines.

Staff at the reserve are currently trying to establish programs for the community management of traditional hunting and fishing territories. By encouraging local people to manage their own resources using traditional techniques such as well-defined village hunting territories, restricting hunting village territories to people from that village, the communities will be able to better ensure sustainable management of the area’s natural resources in the long term.

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