In the forests of Likouala, the Republic of Congo, Ba’Aka women play an essential yet often invisible role in sustaining the ecosystems that surround them. While their communities are widely recognized for deep ecological knowledge, it is the women, through their rituals, who quietly shape the rhythms of forest life. Their expertise, passed down through generations, guides the use of medicinal plants, determines the timing of fishing seasons, and even blesses the tools used in hunts. Despite this, conservation and development initiatives rarely consult them. Often sidelined by both patriarchal customs and external power structures, Ba’Aka women face overlapping layers of marginalization. Yet, their lived experience is rich with insight into how forests can be used without being depleted, and how culture and ecology intertwine. To understand and support sustainable forest management, it is crucial to see beyond surface hierarchies and recognize the quiet authority these women hold. To truly integrate Indigenous knowledge into forest management, we must move beyond the masculine surface of Ba’Aka society and take the time to gain women’s trust. Only through patient, respectful engagement, often best led by women themselves, can we begin to understand the full strength they bring to the forest.
Ngono et al. (Thu,) studied this question.