Bonobo Conservation Initiative
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Mission Statement
Our Mission is to protect bonobos (Pan paniscus), preserve their tropical rainforest habitat, and empower local communities in the Congo Basin. By working with local Congolese people through cooperative conservation and community development programs, and by shaping national and international policy, the Bonobo Conservation Initiative (BCI) is establishing new protected areas and leading efforts to safeguard bonobos wherever they are found. The Bonobo Peace Forest (BPF) is the guiding vision of BCI: a connected network of community-based reserves and conservation concessions, supported by sustainable development. The Peace Forest provides protection for bonobos and other species in the Congo rainforest, while at the same time ensuring a better life for the people who share this precious land.
About This Cause
To succeed in our mission, BCI is taking action on multiple levels, including: protecting bonobos, preserving rainforest, and empowering Congolese communities. To date, we have established two official nature reserves spanning 12,000 square miles—the size of Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined. We also have accords in place and projects initiated in ten additional sites where bonobos are protected by the local people. Protecting bonobos is BCI’s primary mission. Bonobos are humankind’s closest relatives, and they are on the brink of extinction. Collaborating with local and international partners, we are providing a safe haven for these extraordinary great apes. We are hard at work expanding the Bonobo Peace Forest, a constellation of linked community-based reserves and conservation concessions. Within the Bonobo Peace Forest, we have many programs promoting the safety and well-being of bonobos: • Monitoring Teams and Eco-guards—More than 200 trackers and eco-guards monitor the bonobos and patrol the forest daily. • Bonobo Rescue—Orphaned and abandoned bonobos are a tragic side effect of the bushmeat trade. Since becoming active in the field, BCI and our Congolese partners have rescued many orphans and ensured their safe delivery to a bonobo sanctuary in Kinshasa. • Bonobo Protection Unit—The BPU is a cooperative effort between BCI and local authorities ensuring the enforcement of anti-poaching laws. Bonobos live in the heart of the Congo rainforest, the second largest rainforest in the world. Home to countless species of plants and animals, this vast forest is critical to health of our planet. BCI works to protect this vital land through the creation of legally protected areas managed by local communities. We are deeply committed to reducing climate change with our conservation programs. The Sankuru Nature Reserve alone prevents 2 billion tons of greenhouse gases from reaching the atmosphere. By protecting the bonobos’ home, we are protecting ourselves—and all life on Earth. Humans are the greatest threat facing bonobos—and also the greatest hope. The Congolese people are the ultimate stewards of the bonobo habitat, and BCI seeks to build the capacity of Congolese communities through these programs: • Sustainable Development—BCI works with communities to create livelihood opportunities and alternatives to the devastating bushmeat trade. • Health Clinic—Our pilot health clinic provides life-saving care to more than 2600 people a year. • Education Programs—Djolu Technical College gives residents in the heart of the Congo rainforest an opportunity to learn about conservation management, sustainable agriculture, and micro-enterprise development. It is the only institution of higher learning in a 100,000 square kilometer (40,000 square mile) region. • Women’s Initiatives—BCI promotes the advancement of women through employment opportunities, livelihood programs, and education. • REDD+—Local residents participate in the global carbon credit market. • Reforestation—The renewal of the rainforest provides environmental and economic benefits.