Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Management of Forest Resources in a Socio-Cultural Upheaval of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve Landscape in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo represents both a biodiversity hotspot and the ancestral homeland of the Indigenous Mbuti and Efe peoples, whose livelihoods and knowledge systems are closely tied to forest resources. This study investigates how Indigenous knowledge and practices contribute to sustainable resource management under conditions of rapid socio-cultural transformation. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining socio-demographic surveys (n = 80), focus group discussions, floristic inventories, and statistical analyses (ANOVA, logistic regressions, chi-square, MCA). Results show that hunting, fishing, gathering, and honey harvesting remain central livelihood activities, governed by customary taboos and restrictions that act as de facto ecological regulations. Agriculture, recently introduced through intercultural exchange with neighboring Bantu populations, complements rather than replaces traditional practices and demonstrates emerging agroecological hybridization. Nevertheless, evidence of biodiversity decline (including local disappearance of species such as Dioscorea spp.), erosion of intergenerational knowledge transmission, and increased reliance on monetary income indicate vulnerabilities. Multiple Correspondence Analysis revealed a highly structured socio-ecological gradient (98.5% variance explained; Cronbach’s α = 0.977), indicating that perceptions of environmental change are strongly coupled with demographic identity and livelihood strategies. Floristic inventories confirmed significant differences in species abundance across camps (ANOVA, p < 0.001), highlighting site-specific pressures and the protective effect of persistent customary norms. The findings underscore the resilience and adaptability of Indigenous Peoples but also their exposure to ecological and cultural disruptions. We conclude that formal recognition of Indigenous institutions and integration of their knowledge systems into co-management frameworks are essential to strengthen ecological resilience, secure Indigenous rights, and align conservation policies with global biodiversity and climate agendas.