CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN FOR THE ALBERTINE RIFT A.J.Plumptre, S. Ayebare, D. Segan, J. Watson and D.Kujirakwinja June 2016 FOREWORD The Albertine Rift region is one of the most impacts of future climate change and infrastructure biodiverse parts of the World, particularly rich development. His work with collaborators in The Wildlife Conservation in vertebrates, and forms part of the Eastern different taxa has increased the number of species Society (WCS) saves wildlife and Afromontane Hotspot of Biodiversity. It is also known for the region considerably. Using this a special place for us, as our own history as a knowledge he has supported better management wild places worldwide through species started in Africa’s rift valley some 200,000 of the protected areas and worked with our national science, conservation action, years ago. I have travelled through this region and staff and local communities to establish new education, and inspiring people had the opportunity to see first hand the stunning protected areas, notably the recently established to value nature. WCS envisions scenery and some of the amazing species that Itombwe, Ngandja and Kabobo Reserves in eastern a world where wildlife thrives in are only found here such as the mountain gorilla Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). healthy lands and seas, valued and golden monkey. I have also seen the rapid changes taking place, and the need to take steps The production of this conservation action plan is by societies that embrace and to conserve this region. therefore a result of a long history of investment in benefit from the diversity and the Albertine Rift by WCS. This plan brings together integrity of life on earth. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been in one place the results of this work and our previous committed to protecting this region for more than work, together with the results of collaborations In the Albertine Rift region of Africa 50 years, starting with support to Queen Elizabeth with many of our conservation partners, notably WCS has supported conservation and Murchison Falls National Parks, Uganda in the protected area authorities of each country since 1957 and is the oldest 1957. George Schaller did the first field surveys (Uganda Wildlife Authority, Rwanda Development of Mountain Gorillas in 1959-60, followed by the Board, Institute Nationale de l’Environnement et International Conservation NGO work by Bill Weber and Amy Vedder. Their research Conservation de la Nature in Burundi, Institute working here. Our focus has been on provided the basis for one of the great conservation Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature in building the capacity of the protected stories, as the populations of Mountain Gorillas DRC and Tanzania National Parks) together with area authorities in the region to have increased thanks to a partnership between our international partners (Jane Goodall Institute, better manage their protected areas, governments, conservation groups and tourism. World Wide Fund for Nature, International Gorilla and sharing scientific research to This provided the foundation for a model that Conservation Programme, Fauna and Flora has been replicated across Africa: use science to International, African Wildlife Foundation) and better understand the importance identify areas important for conservation, establish many national NGOs in each country. These of the Albertine Rift and how protected areas and work with governments and partners were involved in the development of best to conserve the incredibly local communities to support their management. some of each of the landscape plans summarised rich biodiversity found here. Examples include the establishment of Nyungwe here and are involved in collaborative projects to Find more at www.albertinerift.org; as Rwanda’s third national park, thanks to the implement these plans. The plan identifies priority www.wcsuganda.org; work of Michel Masozera and Ian Munanura, and areas for conservation within these landscapes and www.wcs.org the creation of the Kibale, Rwenzori Mountains, both now and under future climate change. As Semuliki and Bwindi Impenetrable National the world is changing, so must our conservation Parks in Uganda, supported by the work of Tom strategies and actions on the ground. Struhsaker, Tom Butynski and Peter Howard. WCS is committed to supporting the implementation Our work in the Albertine Rift region has been led of this action plan and will be working through each by Andrew Plumptre, who had worked as Assistant of our Country Programs and with partners in the Director for our Africa Program, and moved to the region to ensure that the amazing diversity of life to region in 2000 to coordinate and expand our work. be found here is conserved for future generations. Over the subsequent 16 years he has undertaken biodiversity surveys to better identify the critical Cristián Samper, CEO Wildlife Conservation Society areas for conservation in this region and potential New York, December 2016 Citation: Plumptre, A.J., Ayebare, S., Segan, D., Watson, J. & Kujirakwinja, D. (2016). Conservation Action Plan for the Albertine Rift. Unpublished Report for Wildlife Conservation Society and its Partners Front and back cover photos: A.Plumptre/WCS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TABLE OF CONTENTS The Albertine Rift is known to be one of the most known from this region. Scenarios were modelled Foreword ............................................................................................ 3 Summary Analysis of Landscape Plans ................................................. 50 biodiverse regions on the African continent, having using the software Marxan to assess where best Executive Summary .............................................................................. 4 Conservation Planning for the Albertine Rift .......................................... 52 been designated an endemic bird area (Stattersfield to conserve these species, and these identify Table of Contents ................................................................................. 5 Conservation planning methods ..................................................... 52 et al.1998), a Global 200 Priority Ecoregion (Olson conservation action needs to focus outside the The Albertine Rift ................................................................................. 7 Marxan analysis for Albertine Rift ................................................... 52 and Dinerstein, 1998; Burgess et al., 2004) and existing protected areas. Critical areas identified IUCN mapping of species richness across the Albertine Rift ...............10 Modelling species distributions ................................................ 52 part of the Eastern Afromontane Hotspot (Brooks were the Itombwe and Kabobo Massifs in south Landscapes of the Albertine Rift ...........................................................12 Predictor variables .................................................................. 54 et al.,2004). The richness of vertebrate and plant eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Strategic Framework Plan ..............................................................12 Modeling methods .................................................................. 54 taxa have been documented in the past (Plumptre Tayna-Kisimba-Ikobo region and proposed Oku Development of Albertine Rift Conservation Action Plan ....................12 Scenarios for conservation planning .......................................... 55 et al. 2003; 2007a) and in 2003 we estimated Community Reserve in eastern DRC, and the Sitebi Landscape 1: Murchison-Semliki Landscape ..........................................15 Where to conserve if all costs equal ............................................... 56 that there were about 5,793 plant species and highlands east of the Mahale Mountains National Description of Landscape ...............................................................15 All species ..............................................................................57 1,757 terrestrial vertebrate species known for the Park in western Tanzania. Significant conservation Biodiversity ..................................................................................15 Threatened and endemic species ..............................................57 region. More thorough surveys, identification of activities have already been under way to establish Threats to Landscape ....................................................................18 Where to conserve outside the existing protected area network ......... 58 new species and the finding of additional records Itombwe Reserve, Ngandja Reserve and Kabobo Conservation plan for landscape .....................................................18 All species ............................................................................. 58 for plants have increased these numbers to 6,568 Reserve in the Itombwe and Kabobo massifs Conceptual model ...................................................................18 Threatened and endemic species ............................................. 59 plants and 1,833 terrestrial vertebrates and more while more needs to be done to conserve the Key strategies and objectives ................................................... 20 Where to conserve in the face of future developments ...................... 59 species are being discovered and described every other sites. Mining is a significant emerging threat Landscape 2: Greater Virunga Landscape ............................................