The Greater Virunga landscape straddles the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda and is one of the most bio-diverse places on Earth. It is also a landscape under intense human pressure.
The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration is a mechanism to coordinate conservation efforts of this precious landscape, and engages government and NGOs from the ground to the national and regional level.
More about the GVTC.
Call for Proposals: Design services for Greater Virunga Day
Call for Proposals: Branding, Web Design, and Print Design The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC; www.greatervirunga.org) is a platform for conservation of the Greater Virunga Landscape by governmental agencies, local government, NGOs, and private sector within the Democratic Republic of … Continue reading
Mountain gorillas of Virunga National Park threatened by heavy artillery
Virunga National Park, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has evacuated staff from three of five patrol posts around Mikeno Sector, the mountain gorilla sector of the park, due to heavy fighting between rebels and the Congolese army over … Continue reading
DR Congo Rebel Militias Enter Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Park
May 9th, 2012, Virunga National Park chief warden reported having detected militia entering the Mountain Gorilla Sector Mikeno in early hours of the Tuesday, May 8, 2012. The rebel army of reportedly around 1,500 men under the command of renegade … Continue reading
Greater Virunga Now: Reporting what is happening in the landscape.
The GVTC is a mechanism for strategic, transboundary, collaborative management of the Greater Virunga landscape. Born from informal transboundary activities among protected area staff, GVTC has strong political commitment from the three countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda … Continue reading
The Transboundary Core Secretariat urges Transboundary Executive Secretariat to strengthen coordinated patrols to reduce poaching
The 29th March 2012 meeting of the Transboundary Core Secretariat (TCS) in Kigali has urged the Greater Virunga Transboundary Executive Secretariat to strengthen its coordination role to help deal with different challenges faced in Greater Virunga landscape like poaching. The … Continue reading
ICCN and GVTC join hands to SUPPLY CLEAN WATER TO MIKENO SECTOR
Wanting to improve access to drinking water, and sanitation for people living near the volcanes area in the DRC and raising awareness to these people to protect Virunga National Park, In support with the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration , ICCN/VNP … Continue reading
“JOINT AND COORDINATED PATROLS” a transboundary mechanism to curb poaching in Virunga Landscape.
In response to the persistent problem of snares set by poachers, resulting in the unfortunate death of a critically-endangered mountain gorilla in early February, joint and coordinated patrols between Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Volcanoes … Continue reading
“The BURNING SOLUTION”A documentary on Alternative energy is OUT!!
One among ways of strengthening transboundary collaboration for conservation and sustainable development across the Greater Virunga landscape, is raising awareness of the acute threat of our forest for energy use in the three countries and present possible and potential alternatives … Continue reading
Two grisly discoveries puts spotlight on poaching
Two grisly discoveries puts spotlight on poaching Within the first few weeks of February 2012, park rangers within the Greater Virunga Landscape have discovered a mountain gorilla dead from a poacher’s snare as well as an elephant killed for its … Continue reading
NYAKAGEZI GORILLA GROUP FROM UGANDA WILL BENEFIT FROM TOURISM IN RWANDA
NYAKAGEZI CASE Virunga massif is a home for the endangered species of Mountain Gorilla. The Virunga is shared by the three countries, Rwanda, DRC and Uganda. While these countries have physical and political boundaries, gorillas have enjoyed moving freely in … Continue reading
Happy new Year to all our Stakeholders, We value your Collaboration.
“Together we can make great strides towards conservation of theGreater Virunga in 2012″
Nyamuragira Volcano erupts in the Virunga massif
Africa’s most active volcano, Nyamuragira, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, began erupting on November 6th, 2011 threatening the nearby Virunga national park. The volcano is located 25 km north of Lake Kivu, north-west of the town of Goma, on … Continue reading
UWA Executive Director , Dr. Andrew Seguya commissioned the water harvesting tanks built with support from GVTC
Dr Andrew Seguya officially commissioned water harvesting tanks built in Kisoro District of Uganda with support from Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration. UWA staffs, GVTC managers, local administration and community members are among attendees of this ceremony, held on 22nd October … Continue reading
The Netherlands’ Ambassador in Uganda Commended GVTC Achievements
The Ambassador of Kingdom of The Netherlands in Uganda, Jeroen Verheul concluded his 3-day visit of GVTC activities stating that he is impressed by the work carried out by GVTC through a 4-year funding by Dutch Government International Support-DGIS . … Continue reading
Crop raiding is a transboundary matter in the Virunga Landscape.
The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) is concerned about reported elephant crop raiding in Rubavu district of Rwanda as reported in the New Times of 13th October 2011. “Wildlife, unlike humans do not respect boundaries and move freely across borders” … Continue reading
FIRST TRANSBOUNDARY COLLABORATION REGIONAL FORUM ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE
The transboundary regional forum held in Kampala on 11th October 2011 ended on a high note with commitment for support from the Uganda government and other stakeholders. The forum brought together around seventy participants from central governments, local administration, NGOs, … Continue reading
Conserving Volcano Park, SACOLA is taking a lead, a lesson learned by CACOPVI.
The Congolese community consultation on the protection of Virunga National Park, CACOPVi,: CADRE DE CONCERTATION COMMUNAUTAIRE POUR LA PROTECTION DES VIRUNGA, was on one –day experience exchange visit in Musanze on 30th August 2011, where operates Sabyinyo Community Livelihood Association … Continue reading
UWA protests against light sentence given to the Bwindi gorilla murderers
Uganda Wildlife Authority is greatly dismayed by the light sentence that was handed down by court to the three men that were arrested for the murder of a mountain gorilla. Although we will not appeal the sentence, we express our … Continue reading
Regional Integration process has to be parallel with tourism change.
“As we move from a country-by-country to a regional integration approach, the tourism sector can also benefit it as much as any other sector ” according to Mugisha Davidson, head of Wildlife Tours in Rwanda and member of Greater Virunga … Continue reading
KWITA IZINA 2011: Communities’ efforts in conservation rewarded
“Witnessed and experienced is the way communities throughout the Virunga massif region have been integrated into the conservation of the parks, for the socio-economic benefit of people as well as the conservation of biodiversity.” This matches with the 7th annual … Continue reading
Kwita Izina ceremony: Gorilla naming 2011!!
This famous gorilla naming ceremony adopted as theme “Community development for sustained conservation”. Therefore, Rwanda Development Board launched some community projects during Kwita Izina week. Kinigi Community Center is one of these projects. Conceived as a regional project through Greater … Continue reading
Ranger murdered in Virunga National Park, DRC
One ranger from Virunga National Park was killed and another critically injured in a militia attack in Rutshuru on Sunday 5th, June 2011. The attack, an ambush by an armed group, happened in Nyaruhangi- Groupement de Binza in Rutshuru Territory … Continue reading
Transboundary conservation through supporting communities around the parks
Conservation of parks occurs on different fronts- securing the boundaries, prosecuting illegal activities, providing visitors with an unforgettable experience as well as working directly with neighboring communities to find win-win solutions. On a recent field visit by the Transboundary Core … Continue reading
Congolese Government suspends oil exploration to secure mountain gorilla park
Today in Kinshasa (March 17, 2011), the Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism, Mr José E.B. Endundo, announced the issue of an open letter to the worldwide conservation community clarifying the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s … Continue reading
Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration welcomes new Executive Secretary
Samuel Mwandha has recently joined the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) in the role of Executive Secretary. Mr. Mwandha has over 19 years experience in the field of nature resource conservation and wildlife management. Most recently (September 2005 to October … Continue reading
Recent attacks on rangers and soldiers in Virunga National Park, DRC
The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration are saddened by recent attacks on Virunga National Park rangers and Congolese soldiers by the FDLR militia. These attacks are taking place in the Central Sector of Virunga National Park, near Rwindi. On January 24, … Continue reading
DRC now chairs the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration
On January 17, 2011, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) assumed the chair of the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC), an initiative established to protect wildlife within the Virunga Massif that extends into Rwanda, Uganda and DRC. The chair of … Continue reading
