1. BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK- WHS
A thematic example of good management practices

2. Background Gazetted in 1991 as a National Park 320 sq km
Was formerly a forest reserve where communities were allowed to access resources without any form of deterrent
Was inscribed a WHS in 1994
Its gazettement met a lot of resistance from the communities
The boundary had no buffer zone

3. Bwindi
Bwindi is the Home to the Mountain gorilla – currently about 340 individuals
Hot spot for biodiversity conservation within the Great Albertine Rift which presents itself as the intersection between the DRC tropical forests and the East African Savannah vegetation
Pleistocene refugia

4. Threats at the time of Inscription
Poaching and massive killing of wildlife including the critically endangered Mountain gorilla
Habitat degradation through timber harvesting and encroachment
Population pressure
Disease to the Mountain gorilla; e.g. scabies
Negative attitudes towards creation of the area as Park
Lack of adequate resources to support management
Invasive
Demand for road construction through the very sensitive part of the park
Unclear boundary to communities and staff
No guidelines were in place to support management – GMP, AOP
Inappropriate Law which did not recognise the roles for the community

5. Efforts in maintaining the site
Marking of boundaries to ensure that they are very clear to all community members
Compensation of all community encroachers who left the PA
Involvement of communities in fighting poaching – Gorilla trafficking and other forms of wildlife protection
Change of community attitudes through community conservation strategies – poaching, land acquisition, law enforcement,
Introduction of tourism initiatives that put the communities at the fore front
Involvement of other partners – CARE, IGCP, MGVP, Local Government, CTPH, ICCN, ITFC, BMCT, UNESCO
Sharing of benefits from the proceeds of the PA – 20% of entry fee, US $5 as gorilla permit levy, sustainable harvest of NTP
General management planning – involvement of all stakeholders
Annual Operations planning –
Employment of locals
Recognition of the indigenous people’s (Batwa) needs to have access to NTPs
Securing of buffer areas for staff infrastructure developments
Staff capacity building in monitoring and conservation generally

6. Employment
Employment

7. Ecotourism
Proximity to PAs allows community ecotourism initiatives

8. Revenue Sharing PROTECTED AREA
CUMULATIVE COLLECTIONS SINCE JULY 2000 UP TO JUNE 2007
CUMULATIVE PAYEMENTS SINCE JULY 2000 UP TO JUNE 2007
BALANCE PAYABLE AS AT 30TH JUNE 2007
Murchison Falls
1,086,201,163
511,387,796
574,813,367
Queen Elizabeth
880,022,900
399,441,320
480,581,580
Rwenzori Mountains
76,015,854
15,471,500
60,544,354
Kidepo Valley
20,207,926
8,868,000
11,339,926
Bwindi Impenetrable
341,426,543
202,973,700
138,452,843
Mghahinga Gorilla NP
70,894,368
45,514,400
25,379,968
Mt. Elgon
79,721,749
43,496,810
36,224,939
Lake Mburo
194,659,916
128,110,815
66,549,101
Kibale NP
149,651,374
28,109,132
121,542,242
Semliki NP
21,426,413
9,200,000
12,226,413
Semliki WR
15,242,271
6,239,500
9,002,771
Katonga WR
3,188,386 -
Pian Upe WR
16,410
TOTAL
2,938,675,273
1,398,812,973
1,539,862,300

9. Challenges Global Climate change
Transboundary movements of the mountain gorilla
Developments next to the PA
Crop raiding by the gorilla
Closing forest habitat
Poaching
Isolation and gene pool building
Introduction of exotic plants
Need for more research/ support to studies that will inform management

10. Thank You