THE CONGO BASIN
af Caidyn Keefer
1. What is the Spatial Significance of the Congo Basin?
1.1. The Basin of the Congo River is in West Central Africa straddling the Equator.
1.2. It is the second longest river in the world and it covers 1.3 million square miles. it is home to the second largest rainforest in the world. It has both forestlands and savanna (grasslands). The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) makes up 60% of the Congo Basin.
1.3. Tourist destinations in the Congo Basin include River Cruises, trekking and jungle safaris.
2. The DRC only allows you to visit with a set itinerary and usually better to book with a tourism company to be granted approval to visit.You must also have a Yellow Fever Certificate
2.1. North Kivu Province has a do not travel issued because of violent crimes like murder, rape, kidnapping and pillaging.terrorists are armed groups have been known to attack civillians and military.There is also an Ebola Outbreak in the North Kivu Province
2.1.1. Ituri Province, Eastern DRC and the three Ka also has the same do not travel advisory
3. What threats does the Congo Basin Face?
3.1. The threats that the Congo Basin faces bushmeat hunting, agriculture, mineral and oil extraction, logging.
3.2. Logging for lumber is a big threat to the Congo. the demand for lumber from lots of countries make a powerful incentive to keep doing it
3.2.1. because of the logging, Hunters have more access to previously remote forests. Bushmeat hunting has put elephants, leopards, low land gorillas and chimpanzee at risk because they are being overhunted.
4. What rules and designations exist for the Congo Basin and do you think they are working?
4.1. The Congo Basin has many designated protected areas that cover about 260,000 square km of the Congo. there are 7 national parks, nature reserves, game reserves and other protected areas.
4.1.1. The government wants to expand this protected area.
4.2. I think that the rule about set itinerary is a good rule and is working. i think they should expand the protected areas to include alot more of the Congo to save the rainforest and the animals in it.
5. What changes could be made to protect the Congo Basin more?
5.1. To protect the Congo Basin we could find somewhere else to get the lumber from logging. they could expand the protected area to make is illegal in more place to hunt, log, extract oil. you could help the Congo by not approving the visa applications of more people.
6. Why is the Congo Basin of Natural Significance?
6.1. The Congo Basin is known as the earths second lung. it is called this because the region absorbs carbon dioxide. this works against climate change. the swamps in the basin absorb the carbon dioxide.
7. References
7.1. http://congotraveltours.com/travel-in-congo/
7.1.1. www.britancica.com/place/Congo-Basin