Plant Diversity of Concessions Held by Catholic Religious Groups in Three Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Léa Mukubu Pika (), Serge Mugisho Mukotanyi, David Pyame Onyo, Aloïse Bitagirwa Ndele, Joël Mobunda Tiko, Julien Bwazani Balandi, Kouagou Raoul Sambieni, Jean Pierre Meniko To Hulu, Jean-François Bastin, Jeroen Meersmans, Yannick Useni Sikuzani and Jan Bogaert ()
Additional contact information
Léa Mukubu Pika: Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Serge Mugisho Mukotanyi: Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Catholic University of Bukavu, Bukavu P.O. Box 285, Democratic Republic of the Congo
David Pyame Onyo: Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, University of Kisangani, Kisangani P.O. Box 2012, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Aloïse Bitagirwa Ndele: Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Catholic University of Bukavu, Bukavu P.O. Box 285, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Joël Mobunda Tiko: The Regional Post-Graduate Training School on Integrated Management of Tropical Forests and Lands, Kinshasa P.O. Box 15373, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Julien Bwazani Balandi: Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Kouagou Raoul Sambieni: Faculty of Architecture, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jean Pierre Meniko To Hulu: Laboratoire d’Ecologie du Paysage et Foresterie Tropicale (LEPAFORT), Faculty Institute of Agricultural Sciences of Yangambi (IFA-Yangambi), Kisangani P.O. Box 1232, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jean-François Bastin: Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Jeroen Meersmans: Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Yannick Useni Sikuzani: Ecology, Ecological Restoration and Landscape Unit, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jan Bogaert: Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-30

Abstract: Urbanization’s environmental challenges have increased interest in urban biodiversity, traditionally focused on public green spaces, which are shrinking as urban growth escapes government control. This study examines the understudied role of private actors—specifically Concessions held by Catholic Religious Groups (CRGs)—in biodiversity conservation across three DRC cities (Bukavu, Kisangani, Lubumbashi). CRGs were selected due to Catholicism’s dominance and socio-economic influence in the DRC. A systematic flora inventory of 70 randomly sampled CRGs identified 220 species from 76 families and 185 genera. Although the CRG area was smaller in Lubumbashi (1.1 ha) than Bukavu (3.7 ha) and Kisangani (5.2 ha), the area did not correlate with species richness. Plant composition varied significantly within and between cities, dominated by phanerophytes and exotic species. These findings underscore the importance of including private stakeholders in urban biodiversity conservation.

Keywords: urban biodiversity; biodiversity conservation; gardening; private green space; conservation strategies; urban ecology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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