GLA -  North-South Kivu and Ituri landscapes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The GLA program in DRC focuses on two landscapes: the Landscape Center of Ituri, Mongala and Tshopo and the Landscape East Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega in North Kivu and South Kivu. In general the two landscapes are characterized by poverty and decay of the economic fabric of the population with their total dependence on natural resources. These natural resources of the DRC are abundant but the challenges to sustain them are also enormous. The two landscapes face many threats from illegal mining, poaching, agricultural expansion, and deforestation. The levels of deforestation and degradation of forests are highly variable depending on the areas and population density. Despite this context, securing the livelihoods of local communities represents an opportunity to protect the forest ecosystems of both Landscapes Center and East. Their protection for present and future generation will contribute to the fight against poverty, for food security and the preservation of water sources and biodiversity. The Long-term goal of the program in the two landscapes is to restore, protect and manage sustainably and inclusively natural resources, ensuring the livelihoods of local and indigenous communities and the stability of protected areas. The pathways of change envisaged to trigger desired change are: 1. The sustainable use of natural resources is assured and the ecosystems are restored. In other words benefits of forested landscapes contribute to the sustainable development of local populations, stakeholders are involved in decisions making process and new alternatives are developed for the protection of our public goods 2. The social and environmental justice is restored. Stakeholders adopt best practices in their daily lives, livelihoods are improved and the living conditions of the local population and indigenous populations have increased. 3. The landscapes are peaceful. This would be possible if the social peace and stability in the two landscapes is secured; that local communities and indigenous populations are acting freely, responsibly and are reconciled improving the social cohesion. These three pathways of change will address in a fundamental way the overall objective of the GLA program, which is the inclusive and sustainable governance of forested landscapes. Particular attention will be given to the capacity building of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and local communities to participate effectively in the process of management and protection of their environmental resources for their own benefit and the benefit of the global community. The GLA programme implemented by TBI DRC will contribute to all the three main outcomes identified to contribute to sustainably managed landscapes in DRC, being Natural resources (NR) are sustainably exploited, Local communities’ and indigenous peoples’ livelihoods are improved, Landscape is pacified. TBI DRC will focus on Central landscape (in Ituri, Mongala and Tshopo). TBI DRC will work with local CSOs for sustainable natural resources management in collaboration with many operational partners in Central Congo. In 2017, TBI DRC supports the development and implementation of Community forestry. It will prepare evidence based information. Moreover, together with its partners and stakeholders it will elaborate and test tools and guidelines for community forestry while community members will be trained. TBI DRC together with other CSOs will lobby for the revision of national nature conservation legislation on the exploitation of natural resources in protected areas. TBI DRC will engage provincial governments and private sector to support the regulation of both artisanal logging and mining. Artisanal mining and logging will be mapped and monitored and support will be provided to transform artisanal loggers and miners to formal SMFEs who respect regulations and pay taxes. TBI DRC will involve women, youth, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups in all activities that will be enrolled and raise the awareness of private and public partners we work with to appreciate and respect the role of these groups. Meanwhile, it will encourage its CSOs partners to improve gender balance in leading positions. Finally, TBI DRC will effort to increase the participation of women and other marginalized groups in the decision making within local community, CSOs, private and public partners. CSOs will be strengthened to work in coalitions. And capacity will be built of TBI DRC and partner CSOs how to generate and use evidence in L&A strategies in the activities above. In addition, capacity will be built on organizational management (administration, finances, gender, human resources).