FROM GEOCODED TO ENTANGLED LANDSCAPE: FORESTS, REDD+ ENVIRONMENTAL RULE AND EVERYDAY PRACTICES IN DR CONGO SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP CATHERINE WINDEY ii SUPERVISORS: PROF. DR. GERT VAN HECKEN, INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT POLICY (IOB) – UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP PROF. DR. JOHAN BASTIAENSEN, INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT POLICY (IOB) – UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP EXAMINATION COMMITTEE : DR. ADENIYI ASIYANBI, DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY – UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY PROF. DR. ESTEVE CORBERA, INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – UNIVERSITAT AUTÒNOMA DE BARCELONA PROF. DR. TOM DE HERDT, INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT POLICY (IOB) – UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP PROF. DR. SARA GEENEN, INSTITUTE OF DEVELOPMENT POLICY (IOB) – UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP PROF. DR. MARJA SPIERENBURG, AFRICAN STUDY CENTRE LEIDEN – LEIDEN UNIVERSITY Windey Catherine Doctoral dissertation ISBN: 9789057286667 Depot number: D/2020/12.293/20 iii iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS More than six years ago, I decided to leave my life in Paris where I was working as a management consultant, to start a PhD in Antwerp. A few months before, Gert and Johan – who became my supervisors – had kindly accepted to discuss my (very thin) research proposal and trusted me enough to advise me to apply for an academic assistant position at the IOB. I remember my first day at the IOB on October 1st 2014. After a short introduction to the institute given by Vicky, I was sitting alone at my empty desk in front of my computer with no other task, at the time, than reading and thinking about my PhD project. It was scary and exciting at the same time. Spoiler alert: the PhD process never stopped to feel like that but, what a hell of ride! Little did I know then how life-changing the next following years would be, professionally and even more so, personally. A thesis does not say much about the relationships and experiences that have shaped it, so I would like, in what follows, to thank the people who have been part of this journey in some way or another. Apologies to those of you whom I may have omitted by accident but whom I am grateful to nevertheless. One of my biggest debts is to the communities of Kisangani hinterland, with whom I have worked since 2015. As I mention in this manuscript, I have often felt and still feel so powerless faced with the extreme disparities between me and these people. I will probably never be able to give back all they have given me, except for a strong, continuous commitment to report and support the struggles of these communities. This thesis, the papers I have published and the talks I have given at conferences would simply not have existed if these people had not shared part of their stories with me. While doing fieldwork in DR Congo was challenging at times, I truly enjoyed the exchanges with these people and, every year, I was looking forward to seeing them again. Thank you so much, to all of you, for your welcome and kindness. Merci beaucoup à vous tous, pour votre accueil et pour votre gentillesse. I joyfully remember many faces, places and moments but I would like to say a special thanks to Georges from KP23, Jean- Faustin from KP13, Josué from the Tembo cocoa plantation and Gabi Agalua from Alibuku with whom I have talked so often over the years, and who have helped me to better understand the lives of their communities. I also want to thank the many people at state institutions, government and REDD+ implementing agencies, civil society organizations and NGOs in Kinshasa and Kisangani, who have accepted to answer my questions. They are also an important part of what is written in this PhD thesis, and I enjoyed talking to them despite our (often) diverging views. During the research, I worked with several research assistants and transcribers, and I would like to acknowledge their work here. First and foremost, Dieubeni who has accompanied me ‘in the field’ throughout (almost all) the years of my research in Kisangani hinterland. Merci Dieubeni pour ta v sympathie, ton sérieux dans le travail et ton soutien dans ma recherche. On a bien travaillé ensemble mais aussi beaucoup ri. Thanks also to Héritier and Gervais who assisted me during my first round of data collection. Thanks to the students who transcribed and translated my interviews: Cédric, Delphin and Isaac. I am grateful as well to the researchers and professors in Kisangani who helped me more indirectly with my research. Papy Bambu Liena, professor in sociology at the University of Kisangani, with whom we have launched a VLIR-UOS action research project since 2019. Alphonse Maindo and Justin Kyale from Tropenbos-DRC, Jean de Dieu Malongola from OCEAN NGO who know so much about the topics I work on and with whom I had many discussions. Merci à tous. Thanks to everyone who made me feel welcome where I stayed during my field visits. During my stays in Kisangani, I could count on the logistical support of R&SD, a consulting company who is responsible for the implementation of a EU/CIFOR project. I want to thank Quentin, Gloria, Belly, Raoul, Jugel and the rest of the team for providing me with official invitations, welcoming me at the case de passage, allowing me to rent a motorbike and, generally, making my stay easier. My fieldwork would have been much more complicated without the help of R&SD as I had little or no practical institutional support when I started. Thanks also to my temporary housemates at the case de passage, over the years: Vincent, Mélissa, Nils, Eugène, Dino, Christian, Jean-Yves, et la team de Yangambi: Martin, Mathilde and Jules. We had fun. In Isangi, to the welcoming environment at the mission Les Filles de La Sagesse, in particular Soeur Mado. It was such a peaceful place to stay at. In Yangambi, chez les Prêtres. In both places, I have had many enriching conversations with my hosts and the other guests. There are also many people who made my stays in Kinshasa la Belle (some say Kinshasa la poubelle but I cannot help looking at the incredible energy of this city) so enjoyable. Tamiley and Deker who drove me safely around the city. They were always so friendly, available and helpful. Thanks also for the great conversations with the priests at the Frères Capucins in Limete. I also want to thank Camille who welcomed me in Kinshasa during my first stay in 2015, and then in 2016, and with whom I exchanged a lot on the REDD+ process as she was working on the same topic in another area of the country. We also had some nice nights listening to live music and going out in this vibrant city. Finally, special thanks to my friend Will. We met at random in 2016 on the tarmac of Kisangani’s decrepit and chaotic airport, and quickly became friends after that. When in Kinshasa, I have spent a lot of time in his apartment overlooking the Congo river, and his British humour made the evenings out memorable. Such extensive fieldwork would not have been possible without the financial support I received along the years from the IOB Research Fund, the FWO Research Foundation – Flanders, and the Flemish Interuniversity Council VLIR‐UOS. Back to Belgium now, where it all started. I want to start by thanking my supervisors, Gert and Johan. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much, both of you for your guidance, your constructive vi comments and trust in my work over the last six years. I honestly do not think I could have had better supervisors. You have always encouraged me in my project and given me enormous freedom to pursue my own research interests, and follow my academic path. I have also much enjoyed writing with both of you for several papers. A PhD and academia can feel lonely but we have an amazing team which I am proud to be part of. I am happy to be able to continue working with you for the next year at least, and let’s hope for many others. Gert, of course, I also want to thank you for being much more than a supervisor, and having become such a good friend. You are a sparkling person and excellent researcher and professor. Thank you for sharing the ups and downs of my (PhD) life and so many hilarious moments at conferences and evenings out in Antwerp and abroad. Thank you also to Paige West for mentoring me during my research stay at the Department of Anthropology at Columbia University. I admire her work and it has greatly influenced what is written in this thesis. I am also grateful to have met and worked with a number of researchers and friends from research institutes around the world: Elizabeth Shapiro-Garza, Jennifer Casolo, Esther Marijnen, Diana Vela Almeida, Aaron Vansintjan, Pamela McElwee and, last but not least, Vijay Kolinjivadi who has now joined our research team at IOB. Here I also take the opportunity to thank the members of my jury: Adeniyi Asiyanbi, Esteve Corbera, Tom De Herdt, Sara Geenen and Marja Spierenburg who have carefully read my manuscript and provided insightful comments that have helped me to sharpen the message I convey, and (hopefully) to improve the quality of the thesis you have now in your hands. At IOB, there are many other people I want to thank for being amazing, brilliant colleagues and friends and making this place so homely. In particular, I would like to thank some of my fellow AAPs/PhD students who have become much more than colleagues.