Welcome to Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
There, a Bitcoin mining farm fuels hope, independence, and the protection of nature.

Virunga: a natural gem under pressure

Virunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to:

• the last mountain gorillas
• exceptional ecosystems,
• and local communities that are often left behind.

But the park faces multiple threats:

• armed conflicts,
• poaching,
• chronic lack of funding.

Traditionally, the park depended on international donations to survive.
But in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic abruptly interrupted tourism and funding.

A radical idea: mining Bitcoin to finance the protection of nature and locals

This is where an innovative idea comes in:

What if the park itself generated its own revenue using renewable energy by mining Bitcoin?

With the help of engineers, the park connected a Bitcoin mining farm to a local hydroelectric power plant, which was producing excess energy, i.e. energy that was available but without a user.

This approach makes it possible to turning an unused resource into a sustainable source of financing for the protection of the park and the support of local communities.

How does it work?

• The electricity produced by the power plant powers the mining machines (ASICs).
• These machines secure the Bitcoin network and generate revenue in the form of bitcoins.
• Bitcoins are then converted into local currency to fund ranger salaries, local infrastructure, and park protection.

No speculation here.
Just a sustainable model: transforming an abundant and renewable local resource (water) into a stable and independent income.

The result: a virtuous circle

• The park is no longer entirely dependent on external subsidies.
• It creates local jobs and stimulates the rural economy.
• It finances the electrification of surrounding villages, concretely improving the lives of local communities.
• It protects endangered species without sacrificing human development.
• It proves that Bitcoin can be a climate solution: using clean, local, otherwise unused energy.

Against the tide of cliches

The Virunga case challenges several preconceived ideas:

• No, Bitcoin mining is not necessarily polluting.
• No, it is not an activity reserved for rich countries or wild capitalism.
• Yes, Bitcoin can be a local, ecological, ethical response — when it is thought out intelligently and integrated sustainably.

A lesson for the whole world

Virunga Park shows us that Bitcoin, far from being a simple financial asset, can become:

• a tool for local economic sovereignty,
• an alternative to traditional and ineffective support systems
• an autonomous, non-inflationary source of financing, independent of geopolitics.

A gorilla protected by a mined block. A local school fed by the force of a river.
This is another face of Bitcoin.

Conclusion: Bitcoin for the planet, not against it

The future is more than choosing between nature and technology.
With initiatives like that of the Virunga Park, we are discovering that Bitcoin can become a force for stability, protection and real impact.

At NovCoin, we believe in Bitcoin that is useful, human, and locally rooted.
And the world needs more initiatives like this.