Overview of the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC) Uganda Presentation given to IIED staff in April 2015 Medard Twinamatsiko -Social Research Leader Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC)-Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST)

1. 1991 2015
Overview of the
Institute of
Tropical Forest
Conservation
1991 2015

2. ITFC’s mission
Support & undertake research &
monitoring in AR
Human capacity building &
development in conservationdevelopment in conservation
Supporting conservation
management in AR (Parks)
Bolster conservation
understanding and practice in AR

3. Where is it?
Just inside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

4. History
• 1942 Bwindi Forest Reserve
• 1986 Impenetrable Forest Conservation Project,
• 1991 ITFC (MUST) established• 1991 ITFC (MUST) established
• 1991 Bwindi + others become National Parks
• Since 1999 WCS support and other donors

5. Collaborators & donors
• MUST
• MacArthur Foundation
• IIED
• UWA
• WCS• WCS
• MPI-EVAN
• TEAM
• BMCT
• IGCP
• CARE
• Nature Uganda
• UOBDU
• TCS
• MGVP
• CTPH
• DFDGI
• Makerere, etc.
• Birdlife International

6. Herbarium
Facilities
Offices
Meeting roomLibrary
Herbarium

7. Student dormitory
Facilities
Staff houses
Conservation Education Centre

8. Human Capacity Building & Development in Conservation
• Some 72 post graduate students have
done their MSc or PhD research with
ITFC support since 1991
• Several now hold leading positions in
conservation organisations in Ugandaconservation organisations in Uganda
and the region: (UWA, NFA & NEMA)
E.g. Assoc. Profs Eilu Gerald, Julius Bunny & Dominic
Byarugaba, James Musinguzi (UWEC)
• Over the past 5 years ITFC has granted 13
MSc scholarships to Ugandan students

9. Capacity building: Scholarship Students (past 4 years)
• The impact of elephants on forest tree damage (completed-published)
• Land use change and carbon stocks (completed-published)
• Birds as indicators for the conservation value of matrix habitats
(completed)
• Emigration and land abandonment in and around Bwindi (yet to submit)
• Altitudinal zonation of birds species (Submitted)
• Inventory of Myrianthus holstii in Bwindi (completed-published)• Inventory of Myrianthus holstii in Bwindi (completed-published)
• Inventory of hemi-parasitic plants in Bwindi (Yet to submit)
• Invasive plant species in Semuliki (Yet to submit)
• Inventory of amphibians (Yet to submit)
• Rodents as potential carriers of parasites across park border (Submitted)
• Baboons as potential reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens (Yet to submit)
• Resilience of trees to elephants in Rabongo forest (Yet to submit)
• Re-assessment of indigenous vegetation recovery in Mgahinga (Analysis)

10. Capacity building: Scholarship Students (past 4 years)
Six PhD projects linked to ITFC
• Robert Bitariho (MUST): Utilisation of forest resources in Bwindi :
conservation and socio-economic impact (graduated 2013)
• Dennis Babaasa (University of Massachusetts): Impacts of
ecological, anthropogenic and climate change on the Mountain gorillas
(graduated 2014)
• Edward Wright (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary
Anthropology): Feeding ecology of Mountain Gorillas (report
writing)
Anthropology): Feeding ecology of Mountain Gorillas (report
writing)
• Peter Alele (Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden): Soil
microbial composition in the Nile watershed (report writing)
• Marieke Sassen (Wageningen University): Changes in forest cover,
use and livelihoods on Mt Elgon, from 1973 to 2009 (graduated
2014)
• Nicole Seiler Spatial and temporal patterns of habitat utilization in
Bwindi mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei).(Data
analysis)

11. • Responding to research needs expressed by
UWA on bamboo harvesting impact study
in MGNP (recommendations out and used
by UWA & report published)
• Responding to UWA’s and GVTC’s request
to compile a report on Human-wildlife
conflict experiences and lessons learned in
the greater Virunga landscape (report out
Supporting conservation management in UWA
the greater Virunga landscape (report out
and presented to GVTC & Partners)
• Responding to Nature Uganda and NFA’s
request to study the status and distribution
of Bamboo in Echuya F. R (Report out and
recommendations made)
• Improving the implementation of the
Multiple Use Programme (1st report-BMCT
recommendations taken up by UWA)

12. Support & undertaking research & monitoring
• Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary
Anthropology: Mountain gorilla ecology
and behaviour.
• Dr Phil Shaw: breeding ecology of the
Stripe Breasted Tit

13. ITFC RESEARCH PROJECTS
(ONGOING, COMPLETED AND TO START)

14. Tropical Ecology Assessment and
Monitoring (TEAM)
Vegetation monitoring
• six 1-ha plots, 3 altitudes
•Fauna monitoring
• 30 IR traps, 2 altitudes
www.teamnetwork.org
14
• 30 IR traps, 2 altitudes
•Climate monitoring
• automatic recording
• rainfall, temperature,
•Humidity & radiation

15. Phenology & forest tree seedlings (draft report out)
• Two phenology series
on 65 tree species
• One “fake seedling” pilot
Schedule Started N
stem
N
spp
Data
Gorilla food Monthly 9/2004 312 36 fruit, ripe fruit, fruit on ground, new
leaves, flowers
Representative Monthly 4/2011 530 54 Leaves (new, old, on ground, damaged,
dead ) flowers (buds, open, on ground)
fruit (unripe, ripe, rotten/dry, on ground)
Fake seedlings Monthly 4/2011 352 0! Persistence and types of damage
• One “fake seedling” pilot

16. A simple Monitoring tool for local community use in
monitoring plant harvest impacts (report out)
• Empowering forest resource users in monitoring
plant resource harvest impacts
• Engaging resources users in data collection &
analysis of plant off-takes &I illegal activity ( a
bottom-up approach)bottom-up approach)
• Have a simple monitoring tool for local community use

17. Batwa Cultural Values Project (BCVP)
• Integrating Batwa cultural values into PA conservation &
Management
• The role of cultural values in the conservation of PAs and
livelihood improvement
(Project ongoing with M& E, field data report out)(Project ongoing with M& E, field data report out)

18. Conservation through Poverty Alleviation (CTPA)
• What are the motivations for illegal resource use in PAs
• Governance issues within local people/UWA institutions
-To link conservation and poverty alleviation in PAs
• -Advocacy of policies that link poverty to conservation
– Project completed with support from IIED. ITFC
(research) other collaborators ACODE (policy) and JGI
(capacity building)

19. An assessment of hydrological systems in & around
Mgahinga & Echuya Forests (ongoing)
• Aims at assessing domestic water availability (quantity)
and quality in the region (achievement of the MDG
• To inventory water sources (quality & quantity) to
enhance effective community livelihoodsenhance effective community livelihoods
• Produce a Map of flood/soil erosion hazard areas
• Establish a database of water quantity/quality regimes

20. CULTURAL VALUES STUDY (draft report out)
• An assessment of how local communities’ indigenous
knowledge & cultural values can be used in BMCA park
management .
• Documenting indigenous knowledge & culture values
for biodiversity conservation in BMCAfor biodiversity conservation in BMCA
• Results show there is linkage betn traditional practices
& beliefs with forest conservation

21. Human Wildlife Conflict Intervention in Nkuringo-
Bwindi (draft report out)
• Assessing effectiveness of PAM interventions inNkuringo
buffer zone to reducing crop raiding incidences
• Assessing community perceptions on effectiveness of the
interventions
• Proposing mechanisms for continuous monitoring of• Proposing mechanisms for continuous monitoring of
human-wildlife conflict in the area

22. Successful proposal to begin soon (Funded)
• A proposal on the ecology and conservation of the African
golden cat got funding of 12,000usds from IFS &
15,000usds from the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Fund-
• A proposal for maintaining Bwindi’s long-term multiple• A proposal for maintaining Bwindi’s long-term multiple
use monitoring plots (PSPs) (plant harvesting areas is to be
funded by BMCT (25 million UGX annually)
• A Proposal on the Involvement of Women in Integrated
Conservation and Development (ICD) Policy
Implementation and Governance in Bwindi got funding
from Birdlife international (10,000usds) –ITFC & IITR

23. Proposal awaiting funding (not yet Funded)
• A proposal on strengthening mgt of Bwindi’s gorillas and
their habitat thru improved national capacity &
increased understanding of habitat carrying capacity
(ITFC, IGCP & MPI) submitted to USFWS
• A proposal on the hunger stories; merging science• A proposal on the hunger stories; merging science
with winning experiences to solve chronic nutritional
Inadequacy (ITFC,IMS, & KARDI) to IDRC & ACIAR
• A proposal on: Biodiversity Conservation Through
research training and Drug discovery (ITFC, University of
Hawaii, MUST- Pharmacology & Biology Dept) to the
National Institute of Health & National Science
Foundation-USA

24. Commitment to publication and impact
• ITFC’s staff, students and partners are
encouraged to publish …
• Regular meeting with UWA and others
to discuss priorities and implications

25. Recent ITFC Publications (2013 & 2012)
)• Twinamatsiko,M., Baker, J., Harrison, M.,Shirkhorshidi, M.,Bitariho, R.,Weiland, M., Asuma, S., Milner-
Gulland, E.J.,Franks, P., Roe, D. (2014). Linking Conservation, Equity and Poverty Alleviation.
Understanding the Profiles and Motivations of Resource Users and Local Perceptions of Governance at
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda IIED, London.
• Baker, J, Bitariho, R, Gordon-Maclean, A, Kasoma, P, Roe, D, Sheil, D, Twinamatsiko, M, Tumushabe, G,
van Heist, M & M. Weiland, 2013. Linking Protected Area Conservation with Poverty Alleviation in
Uganda: Integrated conservation and Development at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Nova Science
Publishers, Inc, New York
• Kasangaki, A & Bitariho, R, (2013). Review of Benefit Sharing and Community Conservation Approaches
in the Albertine Rift Region: in Albertine Rift Conservation report, Kanyamibwa, S (ed), Albertine Rift
Conservation Series No. 1, Arcos networkConservation Series No. 1, Arcos network
• Mugerwa, B, Sheil ,D, Sekiranda P, vanHeist, M & Ezuma, P (2013). A camera Trap Assessment of
Terrestrial Vertebrates in Bwindi National Park, African Journal of Ecology . 51, 21-31
• Ssali ,F, Sheil, D & Nkurunungyi , J. B, (2013). How selective are elephants as agents of forest tree
damage in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, African Journal of Ecology . 51, 55-65
• Kasangaki, A, Bitariho, R, Shaw, P, Robbins, M & McNeilage, A (2012). Long-term ecological and socio-
economic changes in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, south-western Uganda: in the
ecological Impact of long-term changes in Africa’s Rift Valley, Plumptre, A (ed) Nova Science Publishers,
Inc, New York.
• Medard Twinamatsiko (2013). Resource Based Conflicts and Pastoral Community Livelihoods. The
interface of Basongora’s search for livelihood around Queen Elizabeth National Park. LAP, Germany
• Twinamatsiko ,M & Muchunguzi, C (2012). The Rights of the Minorities amidst Development Policy
Interventions. A case of Basongora Pastoralists-South Western Uganda. Lambert Academic Publishing,
Saarbrucken, Germany.

26. Vision for the future
• Diverse exciting projects
• Steady flow of students
• Collaboration with UWA, NFA managers & others
• Good science, regular quality publications
• Broad geographical coverage• Broad geographical coverage
• Long term links to expertise
• Sustainable funding…

27. www.bwindiresearchers.wildlifedirect.org

28. For more see:
www.itfc.org/www.itfc.must.ac
Blog: bwindiresearchers.wildlifedirect.org