[6] The tropical forests of the region have long been threatened by human activities, with international companies and illegal local loggers cutting down trees and mining natural resources.

[7] Also, local indigenous peoples are dependent on the forest, clearing land for agriculture, and for basic necessities.

[6] Since the establishment of the reserve, it has been an important location for research into the western lowland gorillas [12] and forest elephants, in particular.

Most agricultural activity, such as subsistence farming, occurs along the main north-south axis road that connects the villages north of Bayanga with Lindjombo to the far south.

The main diet of the indigenous people includes cassava, corn, peanuts, robusta coffee, cocoyams, bananas, papayas, wild berries and koko leaf.

Fences erected around fields are made of string with various suspended objects such as cans, plastic bags, and milk tin lids.

In November 1996, 20 scholars from the American Museum of Natural History spent time in the village of Bayanga, collecting data on the reserve's ecosystem and traditional ways of life.

[17] In 2001, a book was published entitled Inside the Dzanga Sangha Rain Forest: Exploring the Heart of Central Africa, which follows a team of scientists, artists, and filmmakers searching for the lowland gorilla, leopards, and rare birds and insects.

[18] Cornell University researcher Katy Payne began the Elephant Listening Project in a clearing within the dense forest special reserve.