MGAHINGA GORILLA NATIONAL PARK, UGANDA: PROGRESS IN 1992

GORILLA CONSERVATION NEWS, AUGUST 1993, pp. 22-23.

Decisive progress for the future of MGAHINGA GORILLA NATIONAL PARK (MGNP) was made during 1992. The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Project assisted t to reach the following preconditions for the further developments and nature protection works within the conservation area:

1. In close cooperation with the MINISTRY OF TOURISM, WILDLIFE AND ANTIQUITIES (MTW) and UGANDA NATIONAL PARKS (UNP) a formerly encroached part of the National Park and former Goril1a Game Reserve was successfully included into the MGNP through the cooperation of the local community. UNP has regained control over the formerly encroached Zone 2 of the Nationa1 Park after an agreement of understanding was reached and signed by representatives of MTW, UNP, local authorities, MP, church representatives and the project in June 1992 (see Map in GCN no 6,1992, Page 30).

The encroached Zone 2 of MGNP was voluntary left by the illega1 settlers and land-users following a time-table, which was agreed up on in the memorandum of understanding. Between June and December 1992 this process went on in a peaceful and orderly manner. Violence was avoided from the beginning under the control of UNP and the project. People shifting their homesteads from the Nationa1 Park were supported by UNP with poles and bamboo taken from Zone 2. People were a11owed to harvest their remaining crops until certain dates agreed in the memorandum of understanding. Catt1e grazing and the grazing of domestic animals was stopped by the catt1e grazers according to the dates agreed.

A compensation for the former encroachers is underway with USAID and CARE in Kampala. A socio-demographic study was carried out by Mr. Samson Werikhe in Zone 2 to provide exact data to CARE and USAID about the former infrastructure and belongings of the encroachers.

A tota1 number of 1305 persons left MGNP by the 31 of December 1992. The compensation process was in the last stages of preparation in February 1992.

2. In Kisoro an office of UGANDA NATIONAL PARKS for both, MGNP and BWINDI/IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK (BIFNP) was opened in January 1992. The function of the office is to provide room for official meetings, administrative tasks, ongoing operations, radio contacts and information for visitors, tourists and interested loca1 people. Later on this office can serve as the main reception for tourists coming to visit MGNP.

3. The task to demarcate the northern boundary of MGNP has been taken over by the project in cooperation with UNP. The whole distance of about 14.5 km between the internationa1 borders is a1ready demarcated preliminarily with stone marks, except a small strip of about 700 meters near the Rwandan border.

In a second step concrete stone-pyramids are constructed out of the stone marks. Until the end of 1992, 56 out of 180 stone pyramids had been completed. The pyramids reach a height of about one meter in a distance of 30 -70 m according to the landscape a1ong the NP boundary. The construction works were continued along the former line of Grevillia trees, which were p1anted in 1944 to demarcate the former MGAHINGA FOREST RESERVE and GORILLA GAME RESERVE.

In an additional third step a hedge is underway to be planted to connect the Stone-markers. This hedge shou1d ensure that no domestic animals are entering the Nationa1 Park illega1 grazing. Unti1 January 1993 about 4O.000 plants for the hedge were brought in p1ace on a distance of about 5 km. The exercise is continued during the rainy-seasons.

4. The former Game Guard camp was shifted from the forest edge to the new NP-boundary and bas become the NP-Headquarters. Five Uni-huts, 4 kitchen-huts and one viewing-hut were constructed at the site of the planned NP-Station. Most of the huts have got furniture and equipment which enables the ongoing work of the National Park and project staff and the boundary workers. On1y non-permanent structures were established until the end of 1992.

5. Two field-stations at Mt Muhavura and Mt. Sabynio are established. Currently 16 of the 29 Park Rangers are carrying out their work from here to control illegal activities in the east and the west of MGNP.

To ensure the survival of larger mammals in MGNP it is needed that explosives are removed from the core-area of the NP. According to the DSO, Kisoro, a specialized NRA unit is expected to come to MGNP to check Zone 1 with their detectors. The opening of MGNP for tourists will depend on a quiet situation along the international boundaries towards Rwanda and Zaire. A big area of the gorilla habitat within Zone 1 could not be patrolled due to security reasons and UNP is lacking exact information about anima1s deeper in the forest.

Klaus J .Sucker
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Project
P.0. Box 723
Kabale, Uganda