Introduction
Proclaimed as a Forest Reserve in 1932
(Howard, 1991) and managed by the Forest
Department until recently proclaimed as a
National Park (1991), Bwindi Impenetrable
Forest is internationally recognized as
site of outstanding importance for the
conservation of biodiversity (Butynski,
1984; Hamilton, 1981; Kingdon, 1990).
Bwindi Forest is the only site in East
Africa, and one of the few forests in
Africa as a whole, with continuous forest
cover over an altitudinal range from
1190-2607 m (Howard, 1991). Considered to
be a Pleistocene refugium, Bwindi
Impenetrable National Park (BINP) is the
highest biodiversity site in East Africa
for birds, plants, butterflies and
primates, and contains half of the
world's endangered mountain gorilla
(Gorilla gorilla beringei) population
(Butynski, 1984; Howard, 1991).
Farmers surveyed around Bwindi
Impene-trable Forest recognized the
importance of the forest for forest
products, "bringing rain" and
catchment protection (Forbes, 1991;
Scott, 1992). Despite these perceptions,
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (321 km˛) is
all that remains of forest that formerly
covered most of Kigezi (Figure 1). With a
long boundary (114 km) surrounded by
nearly 100,000 people, the long-term
future of this forest depends on a strong
partnership between conservation and
development. The Development Through
Conservation (DTC) project (CARE
International) based in Ikumba and
working since 1988 through Conservation
Extension Agents in parishes around
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Figure
2) is an example of such a partnership.
Aimed at a grass-roots approach to
rural development and conservation, the
DTC project recognizes land-use zones for
different purposes, including fully
protected areas for conservation of
biodiversity. Addressing the land-use
conflict between National Park and
people, this approach stems from a major
concern expressed by surrounding people
that the 1991 change of status of Bwindi
Impenetrable Forest from a Forest Reserve
to a National Park would result in their
losing access to forest resources. The
objective of this study was to provide
detailed information on wild plant use
and resource management issues relating
to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and
the DTC area. The terms of reference were
to:
- review existing surveys and
information on the ethnobotany of
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest,
identifying gaps in the
information previously collected,
and train Ugandan staff to
collect the data needed;
- conduct ethnobotanical surveys
(including interviews with local
traditional medical
practitioners);
- focus on two or three critical
species identified by prior
studies as being of high priority
for including in a multiple-use
programme;
- train Ugandan staff in
ethnobotanical techniques and
management during the course of
fieldwork;
- investigate ethnobotanical
research priorities for Ugandan
staff and/or graduate students,
and provide an ethnobotanical
research plan;
- visit the project area in and
around Bwindi Impenetrable
National Park and conduct a
two-month field training workshop
for Government of Uganda staff
and post-graduate students,
including the management of
multiple-use areas.
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