New National Parks & Reserves in Development in Rwanda

Rwanda currently has four national parks: Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, and Gishwati-Mukura National Park.¹ While there isn’t a formally declared “new” national park entirely from scratch in active development that would be a fifth park, Rwanda is strongly focused on expanding existing protected areas, reforesting degraded lands, and fostering community-managed reserves. This reflects a progressive approach to conservation that aims to increase protected areas and biodiversity while benefiting local communities.

Here’s what’s currently in development and represents the expansion of Rwanda’s protected area network:

Expansion of Volcanoes National Park (VNP):
- The Big Initiative: This is the most significant ongoing expansion project. Rwanda is committed to expanding Volcanoes National Park by approximately 23% (or about 3,740 hectares / 9,241 acres).
- Purpose: The primary drivers for this expansion are:
  - More Habitat for Gorillas: The mountain gorilla population has grown remarkably, and more space is needed to reduce inter-group conflicts and allow for further population growth.
  - Reduced Human-Wildlife Conflict: By extending the park boundaries, it aims to create better buffer zones and reduce instances of gorillas ranging into community lands, which can lead to crop raiding and potential conflict.
  - Community Relocation & Development: The expansion involves carefully planned and compensated relocation of communities living within the new park boundaries. The government is committed to providing better housing, social infrastructure, and diversified livelihood opportunities for these resettled families, creating a model of “conservation with compensation.” This is part of the “Volcanoes Community Resilience Project.”
- Current Status: This project is actively underway, with partnerships from organizations like the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and the World Bank. Land acquisition and community resettlement are progressing.
Community-Based Management of Nature Reserves:
- A new law, effective October 2024, introduces a community-based approach that allows local populations to manage nature reserves and other protected areas, often without relying solely on official government structures.
- Goal: This reform aims to expand the size of protected areas in Rwanda by empowering local communities to manage smaller, localized nature reserves. It allows for formal authorization to modify boundaries and encourages the creation of privately owned nature reserves.
- Impact: This decentralization is designed to integrate local populations into conservation efforts, create community-based jobs, and ensure long-term sustainability by fostering a sense of ownership and direct benefit from conservation. Environmental activists and government officials see this as essential for expanding conservation beyond the main national parks.
Restoration and Protection of Degraded Forest Areas:
- The creation of Gishwati-Mukura National Park in 2015 was a prime example of turning two heavily degraded forest remnants into a national park through significant reforestation and conservation efforts. While not “new” anymore, the ongoing restoration within and around it contributes to the overall expansion of protected and reforested areas.
- Rwanda’s commitment to increasing national forest cover (which reached 30% ahead of schedule) means continuous efforts in afforestation and reforestation across the country, effectively expanding green spaces and potential habitat for wildlife, even if not gazetted as full national parks.

In summary, Rwanda’s strategy is less about declaring entirely new, large national parks and more about strategic expansion of existing ones, particularly Volcanoes National Park, and empowering communities to establish and manage smaller, localized protected areas, all within a broader national vision for increasing forest cover and promoting biodiversity.