10 year project to conserve Uganda’s national parks launched
The project dubbed University as a Facilitator for Community Based Sustainable Solutions to Demographic Challenges in South Western Uganda (UCoBS) will be championed by Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST).
Conservationists and authorities in South Western Uganda have launched a 10 year project aimed at improving the conservation and management of national parks and other natural resources in their areas.
The project dubbed University as a Facilitator for Community Based Sustainable Solutions to Demographic Challenges in South Western Uganda (UCoBS) will be championed by Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST).
It is an Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) funded by the Flemish Inter-University Council (VLIR-UOS), Belgium.
It was launched by conservationists and Stakeholders at Kirigime Guest House in Kabale municipality.
According to Dr. Medard Twinamatsiko , a lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology and the team leader for UCoBS project, they will focus on coming up with strategies that will promote the conservation of major national parks in the region.
These include Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Semliki National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Twinamatsiko said that they will start the project with ensuring good governance principles for the targeted natural resources.
Twinamatsiko said that the project will also focus on improving the status of some rivers adjacent to the targeted natural resources.
The livelihood boost of communities around the protected areas will also be prioritized highly in the same project.
To successfully implement the project, PHD students from Mbarara University will conduct studies in targeted areas to come up with practical solutions to the challenges there.
“Stakeholders like the Uganda Wildlife Authority will play a key role in ensuring the success of the project.” Says Nelson Guma,chief warden Bwidi impenetrable National Park.
Tourism is a fast-growing sector supported by the fact that Uganda is ranked as a top tourist destination and one of only three countries with about 50% of the world’s known population of endangered mountain gorillas.
Existing data shows that the travel and tourism sector contributes more than 2.5% to Uganda’s GDP annually however environmentalists say that if strategies to boost conservation are not upgraded, the industry could suffer immense losses.
