DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjahss.2026.v14i07.002

Pages: 262-268

The Rusizi Nature Reserve, commonly known as Rukoko, is one of Burundi's most valuable ecosystems. Established in 1980 and governed by presidential decree, this protected area of approximately 8,000 hectares hosts’ exceptional biodiversity, notably the endemic Hyphaene benguellensis var. ventricosa palm grove. However, the rapid demographic growth of Bujumbura whose metropolitan population exceeded 1.35 million inhabitants in 2025, with an annual growth rate of approximately 5.7% (MacroTrends, 2026) is generating increasing land pressure that directly threatens the reserve. The progressive saturation of the Mpanda cemetery, the capital's main burial site, illustrates a paradigmatic land-use conflict between the necessity of funerary infrastructure driven by demographic and cultural realities, and environmental protection imperatives. This article analyzes, through the lens of Burundian environmental law and international law, the nature of the State's legal obligations, the tensions between living law and positive law, as well as the public health and intergenerational responsibility issues raised by this problem. It also proposes legal and institutional solutions to reconcile the rights of present generations with the preservation of the natural heritage for future generations.