N’situ pelende by Colruyt group

N’situ Pelende is an afforestation project funded by Colruyt Group (’the company’) and located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, North-East of Kenge, capital of the Kwango province. Goal of the project is on one side to offset the company’s remaining emissions and on the other hand to sell offsets to third parties. The forest is planted eyeing both CO2 sequestration and biodiversity. Apart from forestry activities (P1), the project also aims to collaborate with the local population (P2), develop lowcarbon economic activities (P3) and provide infrastructure for the local population (P4). The forest will be planted (P1) aiming to improve biodiversity in an area of 14,430 ha. A list of 20 tree species has been selected. It contains a mix of fast growing plantation species and slow growing forest trees, including as many endemic tree species as possible. The project area has not had forest since at least 1985, but secondary forest has been preserved in the forest galleries (galleries forestières) in the river valley. Due to the frequent man-made fires the project area would remain open under a baseline scenario. We keep intense contact with the local population (P2) in relation to all project activities. The focus is to prevent forest burning through educating people about controlled fire, as slash and burn is the traditional way of agriculture. 12 brigadiers are permanently guarding the forest (P1), go in conversation with the local population to prevent forest fires and will be equipped to extinguish forest fires. Also, the implementation of economic activities for smallholders (P3) and correct use and maintenance of the social infrastructure (P4) is envisioned. In the long run, we will promote local economic activities to able income for the local population (P3). The ratio behind that is that afforestation activities only provide temporary jobs. By promoting local economic development, we can provide sustainable employment. Local employment prevents deforestation as people will no longer depend only on income from unsustainable exploitation of the Savannah and galleries forestières. Different economic branches ’will be developed at different scales. We will be investigating -hierarchy magnitude- among others, the culture and sale of honey, fruit and fruit juices, fish culture, sustainable charcoal and manioc flour. A ‘Cahier des Charges’ was set in place following negotiations with the local communities. In exchange for the land, we will provide social infrastructure (P4), among which a bridge over the Konzi river, manioc mills for the villages, two schools and a medical center.