We are pleased to share a policy brief produced by Pie Fleury Irankeje, a current student in the SPIBES East Africa programme. The brief, titled Balancing Conservation and Use: Sustainability Assessment of Hyphaene petersiana (Umukoko) in Rusizi National Park and Its Southern Buffer Zone, Burundi, was written as part of his MSc research and reflects his own findings and recommendations.
About the brief
The Rusizi National Park in western Burundi is one of the country’s most ecologically significant protected areas, supporting a distinctive mosaic of wetland and savanna ecosystems. Among its most valuable species is Hyphaene petersiana, known locally as Umukoko — a palm species deeply embedded in the livelihoods of surrounding communities, used in construction, fishing, craftsmanship, cooking fuel, and income-generating crafts. Despite its ecological and socioeconomic importance, unsustainable harvesting and mounting land-use pressures have led to measurable declines in both regeneration rates and stand density.
Key findings
Pie Fleury’s research combined field data from 60 sample plots with 150 household interviews across the 6,647 ha park. His findings paint a concerning picture of a species in decline. Mature individuals dominate the population structure, accounting for 86.1% within the park and 90.1% in the southern buffer zone, with a striking absence of younger cohorts signalling a significant failure in natural regeneration. An overwhelming 93% of respondents reported that Umukoko populations are decreasing. Weak biodiversity governance emerged as a fundamental threat, with existing conservation laws routinely disregarded — including by authorities — eroding the rule of law and emboldening broader non-compliance within local communities.
Recommendations
Based on his findings, Pie Fleury calls for the reintroduction of apex predators such as lions as a natural deterrent against unauthorised park entry, the restoration of seed-dispersing fauna including elephants to support forest regeneration, and stronger and more impartial law enforcement. He also recommends addressing youth unemployment as a root driver of illegal resource extraction, and developing structured sustainable management models for timber and non-timber forest products that recognise community subsistence needs while keeping harvesting within ecologically viable limits.
You can download Pie Fleury’s full policy brief below:
