Forest Types Affected by Gold Mining in Haut-Uélé, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Since 2018, the intensification of gold mining activities in the Haut-Uélé Province has posed a serious threat to forest ecosystems. This study was conducted to identify the most vulnerable forest types across the territories of Dungu, Faradje, Wamba, and Watsa. To achieve this objective, four main methodological phases were implemented: field prospection of the study area, application of a geospatial analysis method, in situ forest inventories, and direct field observation. The findings reveal that gallery forests are the most degraded in the territories of Dungu, Faradje, and Watsa, whereas dense forests are the most affected in Wamba. The floristic inventory identified 22 species of mega- and mesophanerophytes throughout the study area. None of these species benefits from full protection status; however, four are classified as partially protected according to the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN). Seven species fall under the non-protected category, while eleven others were recorded without sufficient information regarding their conservation status. Furthermore, eight species were recognized by local communities for their high ethnobotanical significance, as they contain active compounds or substances with proven medicinal properties.