Management and preservation of green spaces in Bukavu: Assessment of existing practices and exploration of future solutions

This study examines the management practices of green spaces in the city of Bukavu, highlighting their essential role in urban climate resilience and the maintenance of quality of life, particularly in terms of social cohesion and public health. It underscores the threats facing these spaces, mainly related to rapid and uncontrolled urbanization, sustained demographic growth, socio-spatial inequalities, and weak local governance. Based on semistructured interviews conducted with local authorities, representatives of semi-public entities, and private actors in Bukavu, as well as a cartographic analysis of the years 1957, 2013, and 2025, the study shows a marked decline in green spaces, aggravated by natural disasters and unregulated land occupation. Despite their importance, the management of these spaces still faces many challenges, leaving them insufficiently protected. This situation calls for the adoption of sustainable and inclusive urban planning strategies in a context of high urban density.