BWINDI MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS

John Justice Tibesigwa

SWIC SS (BINP)

20/01/2015

Presentation outline

• Background about BINP

• Management effectiveness

• Management effectiveness indicators

• Challenges for conservation of BINP

• Strategies

Introduction/background• BINP was gazetted in 1991 following various

protection statuses

• Size 321 sq km

• Purpose of gazettement: Conservation of ecological resources of high BD value,

• Enlisted as a world Heritage site in 1994

Management effectiveness

• Degree to which the site/area is protecting its values and achieving its purpose (goals and objectives)

• Tracking biological diversity in an area using species census data provides one potential avenue for measuring conservation success

• PA management effectiveness should aim at BD conservation, hence should address two primary outcome measures, namely: threat status and ecological integrity.

Management effectiveness cont’d Context: where are we (status

& threats)?

Planning: Where do we want to be,

how will we get there?

What do we need

(Inputs)

How do we go about it (Process)?

Outputs (Products

and services)

Outcome/

Achievements?

Evaluation

Management purpose for BINP

“To conserve BINP for its exceptional biodiversity, such as the critically endangered Mountain Gorilla and other endemic species and its fragile ecosystem, that is also an important water catchment area among other ecosystem services, for the benefit of the local, national and the global community”

BINP Management effectiveness indicators

Tourists’ numbers rising but regulated for activities:

• Gorilla tracking

• Birding

• Nature walks

• Butter fly viewing

Reduced illegal activities

Encroachment contained

Invasive spp contained

Infrastructural developments well planned and/or minised

• Research (ITFC and other independent researchers)

• Monitoring key threats and activities affecting BINP and using the data and results to develop more appropriate interventions:

• Weather data

• Illegal activities

• Climate change

• Strategic relationship with stakeholders/partners and consideration of their level of participation in the management of the BINP:

11 Boundary management agreements

9 Multiple Use agreements

1 Batwa Forest Experience (BFE) MoU

Planning

Revenue Sharing

Information sharing

Winning of awards eg: Certificate of excellence by Trip Adviser 2014, 2013 and 2012

HWC management:

• Live fencing, HUGO, buffer zone, Tea as a buffer crop, 2 tripartite agreements, scare shooting

• Increasing WL population (of Mt Gorillas)

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

1997 2002 2006 2011

Gorilla population

Challenges

Incompatible land use practices around the park e.g. growing of palatable crops along park boundary

Increasing human population around the Park

Pressure for mining ( wolfram, gold, iron ore)

Weak integration between District development plans and Park Management Plan

Major management issues

Unclear boundary (Lack of demarcation in Mbwatract)

Gorilla ranging outside the park, a recipe for disease transmission (Nkuringo, Buhoma.

Weak wildlife laws

Changing home range of the habituated Gorilla groups inside the park

Major management issues

Inadequate monitoring of the impacts of tourism on PA resources

Inadequate interventions to deal with PAM

Lack of technical staff at District, S/County and lower local government levels to handle PAM

Revenue sharing not adequately benefiting people affected by the PA

Major management issues

Poor access roads (inaccessible roads)

Over reliance on Gorilla tourism

Uncontrolled developments around tourism sites. Nkwenda, Ruhija, Rushaga

Low visitation during the low tourism season

• Pressure for park resources (also pressure to habituate more Gorillas for tourism)

• Mismanagement of the Gorilla levy and Revenue sharing projects

Poaching

High stakeholder expectations

Increasing pressure to habituate more Gorillas for tourism

Mismanagement of the Gorilla levy and Revenue sharing projects

Possible strategies • Effective implementation of the revenue sharing

programme to increase household incomes among the PA adjacent community

• Amendment of the WL law to provide for deterrent penalties/sentences

• Provision of alternative livelihoods

• Deliberate interventions geared towards improving the livelihoods and services to park-edge community

Remedies cont’d

• Continued community sensitization and regular stakeholder engagement

• Continue to work with stakeholders to improve capacity of local people to tap into tourism opportunities

• Strengthen and continue to build the capacity of the intelligence unit of UWA