All legacy landscape (LL) programs are structured in five-year milestone periods. Every 5 years, milestone reviews (MR) are carried out to assess the program’s progress and impact. It is a key component of adaptive program management and intended to shape a dialogue between LLF and its grantee on program implementation’s successes and challenges, new risks and opportunities as well as necessary changes and adjustments.
Methodology
The MR for the Odzala-Kokoua LL was carried out by AGRECO and took place between August and December 2025, including a field visit in November. The milestone review followed a two-step approach: this includes a self-assessment by the grantee, followed by an independent review of cross-portfolio and site-specific issues for Odzala-Kokoua by the LLF-contracted consultant. Over 45 different stakeholders have been consulted, including members of government, local administration, park staff, Indigenous people, community representatives, and partners such as local human rights NGOs (CDHD and OCDH), Nature+ and WCS.
Main Findings
The review reveals a mixed picture of strong conservation achievements alongside governance and social challenges. The management of the park has been successful with regards to conservation objectives, setting efficient procedures for management and reducing threats to biodiversity. The relatively young tourism initiatives also already show very positive progress. On the institutional side, AP has achieved notable progress in professionalization, setting up operational systems, and in staff development. A strong commitment to national leadership is evident, with Congolese nationals now representing 96% of park staff.
While gender disparities remain, these gaps highlight important opportunities for more inclusive growth, for instance by improving accommodation of field staff, safety, and work–life balance, particularly for women working far from home.
A central finding of the review is that community engagement has advanced, with the park’s workforce and engagement structures becoming more inclusive, and Indigenous Peoples represented among both community focal points and full-time staff. However, increased resourcing and stronger participation in decision-making remain priorities. From a community perspective, human–wildlife conflicts (HWC) mitigation, access to resources with a clearly defined and co-developed zonation plan, and livelihood diversification are still insufficiently addressed. Whilst participatory land-use planning is underway, it requires completion to clarify access rights and sustainable-use frameworks.
Social safeguard systems are operational and continue to be consolidated through integration of FPIC processes into planning cycles and updates to environmental and social risk management tools. However, because of their recent roll-out on the ground, their effectiveness cannot be readily measured as of yet.
Key Recommendations
The milestone review recommends to urgently conclude the participatory mapping and land-use planning and to increase community engagement and support. Participatory land-use planning has been initiated, and the next phase will focus on completing zonation through FPIC-compliant processes and clarifying access rights in line with the 2020–2030 Management Plan.
Community participation should continue to be strengthened and institutionalized. Building on progress with elected representatives and established consultative mechanisms, strengthened multi-stakeholder platforms should reinforce participation in annual activity validation, results review, and business planning cycles. Traditional ecological knowledge is already integrated into ecological monitoring and park operations but could be more actively valued in research, environmental education and decision making.
Environmental and social measures should continue to advance implementation of ESDD recommendations. Particularly HWC mitigation efforts need to be further expanded, building upon the mitigation measures that have already been scaled up including fencing, trenching, and coordination with authorities. Human rights safeguards need to remain embedded in law enforcement operations, and monitoring of elephant impacts on communities, ecosystems, and tourism-designated areas still need to be strengthened.
To improve social outcomes and trust, investment in community development, which has already increased over recent years for LLF funds, should be progressively strengthened to reflect the management plan’s emphasis on human well-being as a cornerstone of conservation. Looking ahead, the review recommends that priority investments should include HWC mitigation, participatory land-use planning, clarification of user rights, including for hunting and fishing, and strengthened governance of the community development fund.
Finally, in the area of working conditions and capacity building, implementation of workplace health and safety committee recommendations should continue, alongside sustained investment in staff training and progressive strengthening of technical expertise in HWC management and sustainable use.
The implementation of recommendations and action points resulting from the milestone review process will be monitored within LLF’s reporting framework.
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