Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities
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MINISTRY OF TOURISM, WILDLIFE AND ANTIQUITIES UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK Kyambura Wildlife Reserve Kigezi Wildlife Reserve GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (2011 - 2021) Queen Elizabeth Protected Area i PREAMBLE Uganda Wildlife Authority prepared this General Management Plan with funds from Oil for Development (OFD) Program a bilateral agreement between Government of Uganda and Norway under the project, “Strengthening the management of Oil and Gas Sector in Uganda” Prepared by: Uganda Wildlife Authority: Planning Unit Edited by: Edgar Buhanga Justine Namara Cover photograph: Lions busking in the sun, L. Nyamunuka and the migratory white-winged terns on a Hippo Queen Elizabeth Protected Area ii Approval The Uganda Wildlife Authority Board of Trustees approved this General Management Plan for implementation at its sitting of 26th July 2012. Mr. Benjamin Otto Dr. Andrew G Seguy Chairman, Board of Trustees Executive Director Uganda Wildlife Authority Uganda Wildlife Authority Queen Elizabeth Protected Area iii FOREWORD Preparation of General Management Plans (GMPs) for Protected Areas is a statutory requirement. Uganda Wildlife Authority recognizes the importance of planning as a management tool and is systematically preparing GMPs for all her Protected Areas (PA’s) to realize their potential in biodiversity conservation, tourism development and contribute towards poverty reduction. This General Management Plan is therefore aimed at providing Queen Elizabeth Protected Area with guidance towards sustainable management of the natural ecosystems for their proper functioning in order to provide the services. The plan will also ensure proper development of both administrative and tourism infrastructure and facilities in order to realize the full potential of Queen Elizabeth Protected Area in contributing to the development given the fact that tourism is the engine of economic growth of this country. The mission of Uganda Wildlife Authority is to “conserve, economically develop and sustainably manage the wildlife and Protected Areas of Uganda in partnership with neighbouring communities and other stakeholders for the benefit of the people of Uganda and the global community”. Accordingly, GMPs for wildlife protected areas are prepared with full stakeholder participation. The preparation of this plan was through a multidisciplinary and consultative approach involving various stakeholders at community, district, national and regional levels to ensure that all relevant issues were adequately addressed. The Planning Team that prepared this GMP was composed of UWA staff as well as other stakeholders from the local governments of the 7 districts in which QEPA falls i.e Mitooma, Rubirizi (formely in Bushenyi district), Kasese Kamwenge, Ibanda, Kanungu and Rukungiri. Consultations were held with resource user groups, local community leaders, district leaders, the tourism stakeholders, researchers and private sector representatives. The UWA Board of Trustees after careful review has also endorsed the implementation of this plan by their approval at their sitting on 26th July 2012 at UWA headquarters. This plan that is therefore a product of wide consultations will enjoy the support of all stakeholders, to enhance the achievement of conservation and management objectives of Queen Elizabeth Protected Area for the benefit and enjoyment of the present and future generations. It is therefore with great pleasure that I now entrust the Conservation Area Manager of Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, with the authority to implement this General Management Plan. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY Queen Elizabeth Protected Area iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Uganda Wildlife Authority acknowledges the Government of Norway through the Oil for Development project for providing all the financial support to the preparation of this General Management Plan (GMP). Special thanks go to the following people who were members of the Planning Team and worked tirelessly to prepare this GMP: Edgar Buhanga Senior Planning and EIA Coordinator Tom Okello Obong Conservation Area Manager, QECA Justine Namara Senior Planning and EIA Officer Patrick Tushabe Product Development Executive William Tayebwa Environment Officer, Rubirizi District Severino Rukwago Natural Resources Officer, Rukungiri District Benon Mwebembezi Secretary Production and Environment, Kamwenge District Evelyn Mugume Environment Officer, Kasese District Sam Wekesa Masaba District Community Development Officer, Ibanda Nelson Natukunda Chairman LCIII, Kihihi subcounty, Kanungu District Margret Driciru Senior Warden Research and Monitoring, QECA Agnes Nakidde Warden Tourism Moses Dhabasadha Warden Law Enforcement Wilson Kagoro Assistant Warden Community Conservation Wilson Katamigwa Warden In charge, Ishasha sector Frank Sunday Warden In charge Kyambura Wildlife Reserve Special thanks also go to Mr. Charles Tumwesigye who is currently the AG. Chief Conservation Area Manager for his input when he took over from where the previous CAM, Tom Okello Obong left and Mr. Nelson Guma, the present CAM of QECA for their valuable input Mr. Sam Mwandha and Mr. John Makombo provided oversight at different times of the planning process and their effort is greatly appreciated. UWA appreciates the contributions of all her staff, partners, stakeholders, local communities and members of the Board of Trustees who were involved in one way or the other in preparation of this plan. In a special way UWA appreciates the contributions of Mr. Frank Eklo and Jan-Peter Huberth Hansen of the Directorate of Nature Management, Norway, during the preparation of this plan. Last but not least, UWA acknowledges the un wavering support during the planning process of Mr. Waiswa Ayazika of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and Mr. Ernest Rubondo, Commissioner Petroleum Exploration and Production Department (PEPD). Queen Elizabeth Protected Area v ACRONYMS ACAO Assistant Chief Administrative Officer AOP Annual Operations Plan BMCA Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area BoT Board of Trustees CA Conservation Area CAM Conservation Area Manager CAO Chief Administrative Officer CBO Community Based Organisation CC Contracts Committee CCC Community Conservation Coordinator CCO Community Conservation Officer CE Chief Engineer CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CM Concessions Manager CCR Community Conservation Ranger CDC Centers for Disease Control CPI Community Protected Area Institution DAO District Agricultural Officer DC Director Conservation DCO District Commercial Officer DCDO District Community Development Officer DEO District Environment Officer DPC District Production Coordinator DRC Democratic Republic of Congo DTBS Director Tourism and Business services DVO District Veterinary Officer ED Executive Director EIA Environmental Impact Assessment Queen Elizabeth Protected Area vi ENR Environment and Natural Resources GMP General Management Plan HRM Human Resource Manager IUCN World Conservation Union KVNP Kidepo Valley National Park LG Local Government LM Legal Manager MAAIF Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries MME Mechanical and Maintanance Engineer MoU Memorandum of Understanding MRC Monitoring and Research Coordinator MRO Monitoring and Research Officer MTWH Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage NEMA National Environment Management Authority NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NFA National Forestry Authority NFP National Forest Plan PA Protected Area PAMSU Protected Area Management and Sustainable Use SPEIAC Senior Planning and Environment Impact Assessment Coordinator SPEIAO Senior Planning and Environment Impact Assessment Officer PC Partnership Coordinator PDE Product Development Executive PRM Public Relations Manager PM Procurement Manager QECA Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area QENP Queen Elizabeth National Park QEPA Queen Elizabeth Protected Area RMNP Rwenzori Mountains National Park SWIC Senior Warden in Charge Queen Elizabeth Protected Area vii TM Top Management UPDF Uganda Peoples Defence Forces UNRA Uganda National Roads Authority UWA Uganda Wildlife Authority WCC Warden Community Conservation WCS Wildlife Conservation Society WIC Warden in Charge WLE Warden Law Enforcement WMR Warden Monitoring and Research WT Warden Tourism WWF World Wide Fund for Nature Queen Elizabeth Protected Area viii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND Queen Elizabeth National Park and the adjoining Kyambura and Kigezi Wildlife Reserves are located on the equator in the Albertine Rift Valley, Uganda. In this General Management Plan (GMP), the protected area comprising Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve and Kigezi Wildlife Reserve is referred to as Queen Elizabeth Protected Area (QEPA). Queen Elizabeth is part of an extensive transboundary system that includes Kibale National Park to the northeast and Rwenzori Mountains National Park to the northwest. QEPA is also contiguous with the Parc National des Virunga (Virunga National Park) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Together these two protected areas completely encircle Lake Edward. This planning effort includes the Park (1978 km2), Kyambura Wildlife Reserve (157 km2), and Kigezi Wildlife Reserve (330km2). QEPA falls within 7 District administrations of Kamwenge, Ibanda, Kasese, Rubirizi, Mitoma, Kanungu and Rukungiri. QEPA’s Maramagambo Forest is also classified as a Forest Reserve and is jointly managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the National Forestry Authority (NFA). Lakes