, people and papyrus swamps: balancing livelihoods and biodiversity conservation

Ilya Maclean [email protected]

Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter

Background

Birds good indicators of ecosystem health:

• occur in wide variety of habitats

• sensitive to environmental change

• Well known and easy to monitor

Much conservation policy is based on birds

• EU Birds Directive

• Ramsar Convention

• BirdLife International IBA programme Background

Wide variety of birds associated with papyrus swamps

Most not solely reliant on papyrus

Five species considered endemic / near-endemic

Maclean et al. (2003) Conservation International, 13: 283-97 Background

Papyrus Yellow Warbler Papyrus Gonolek Chloropeta gracilirostris (VU) mufumbiri (NT)

White-winged Swamp Warbler Carruthers’s Cisticola Cisticola carruthersi Papyrus Canary koliensis Bradypterus carpalis Maclean et al. (2003) Bird Conservation International, 13: 283-97 Background

Wide variety of birds associated with papyrus swamps

Most not solely reliant on papyrus

Five species considered endemic / near-endemic

Regionally, among most- threatened and least adequately protected

Maclean et al. (2003) Bird Conservation International, 13: 283-97 Key questions

• How threatened papyrus birds (and why)?

• Can conservation resources be targeted?

• Are bird-based policies compatible with people?

Methods

• Biodiversity surveys across Lake Victoria basin

• Analysis of satellite imagery

• Socio-economic modelling

Results:

Albertine Rift • Papyrus Yellow Warbler probably three species:

• Three highly disjunct populations Western

• Plumage, biometrics, size, bare parts & vocals all differ

• Species / population in Kenya Critically Endangered Lake Mweru

• Confined to very small number of sites

• All sites highly threatened

Maclean et al. (2003) Bulletin of the African Bird Club, 10: 94-100

Results: habitat loss

Rice schemes Dredging & Brick-making

Extensive cultivation & dairy farming

Mean percentage annual rates of wetland loss (1984-2000)

Maclean et al. (2011) Diversity & Distributions, 17: 480-90. Results: bird loss

Annual rates of wetland loss Rarity weighted bird density index Bird densities higher in areas of high drainage

Bird declines >> wetland loss Red = high Blue = low

60

2000) 40 -

20 Mean wetland loss 0 1985-2000 White- Papyrus Carruthers's Papyrus Papyrus winged Yellow Cisticola Gonolek Canary

Percentage Percentage loss (1985 Warbler Warbler

Maclean et al. (2011) Diversity & Distributions, 17: 480-90. Results: avian responses to disturbance

A small proportion of wetlands host a high proportion of the birds:

c. 75% of birds hosted by c. 5% of wetlands

Maclean et al. (2011) Diversity & Distributions, 17: 480-90. Results: avian responses to disturbance

10 Papyrus Yellow Warbler Bird densities 8 Papyrus Canary highest in swamps 6 Carruthers's Cisticola with low-intensity White-winged Warbler 4 disturbance Density Papyrus Gonolek 2 0 High 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 disturbance PrincipalProportion component of swamp of disturbed vegetation structure indicative of disturbance

Maclean et al. (2006) Biological Conservation, 131: 349-58. Conclusions: birds

Birds adversely affecting by habitat loss

Birds not adversely affected by low-intensity disturbance

• Long history of disturbance + extinction filter?

• Mimics of disturbance of evolutionary time scales – e.g. large herbivores?

Possible to target conservation resources efficiently Results: value to people

• Drainage lowers value

• Value maximised with low-intensity use

• If people are poorer, optimum value changes

Maclean et al. (2003) CSERGE ECM 03-10 Results: value to people

Poorest people use wetlands the most

Everyone has One person has equal income all income

Maclean et al. (2003) CSERGE ECM 03-09 Conclusions: people

Papyrus used unsustainably Poverty & income inequity increase Two equilibria:

(1) Sustainable resource use, moderate poverty & income inequity

(2) Unsustainable resource use, high poverty & income inequity

As human population increases, switch from state (1) to (2) increasingly likely

Maclean et al. (2011) Environmental Management, 47: 218-29. Conclusions: general

Win-win for birds and people depends on poverty reduction The way forward

1. Recognise that low-intensity resource use is compatible with conservation

2. Poverty-reduction should be pivotal to conservation policy

3. Seek to diversify income sources as this will break circle of poverty Acknowledgements

Fieldwork assistance: Jez Bird, Mark Hassall, Steven Katungi, Simon Mahood, Rob Martin, Rowan Martin, Richard Moores, Nicodemus Nalianya, Oliver Nasirwa, Johnson Ruhakana, Johnson Tumahairwe

Logistic support / advice: Leon Bennun, Achillis Byaruhanga, Nigel Collar, Lincoln Fishpool, Janet Havers, Alfred Owino, Derek Pomeroy, Charlie Williams

Academic Collaboration: Ros Boar, Mark Hassall, Iain Lake, Charles Lugo, Nicodemus Nalianya, Oliver Nasirwa, Rob Tinch, Rob Wilson

Funders: University of East Anglia, British Ecological Society, Royal Geographic Society, African Bird Club, British Airways