Bugoma Central Forest Reserve
Bugoma Central Forest Reserve is a protected Tropical rainforest located in Western Uganda in the South-western side of Kikube district, North-eastern side of Kyenjojo Town and eastern side of Lake Albert found in Kikube District and is managed by the National Forestry Authority (NFA). Bugoma Forest Reserve covers an area of 401 square kilometers (155 square miles/40,100 hectares), it was established into a Forest Reserve in 1932 and is managed by the National Forestry Authority since 2003.
This Forest Reserve is specifically located on the top of an escarpment, East of Lake Albert on the fringe of the Western Rift Valley which offers breathtaking views of the countryside and other surrounding areas.
Bugoma Forest Eco Tourism
Bugoma Forest Reserve is a real biodiversity hotspot that is worth exploring by tourists due to its astonishing diversity of floral and faunal species. This Reserve is a central Conservation Forest which is the 12th top places of importance out of the 65 forests studied for biodiversity. It is also amazingly the 17th among forests with exceptional species.
There are currently over 34 species of mammals including 4 globally threatened mammal species, 9 mammal species listed under IUCN’s Red List within the Bugoma Forest Reserve that include primates such as over 600 estimated chimpanzees, the Grey cheeked mangabeys, the Black and white Colobus monkeys, the Blue monkeys, the Red tailed monkeys and the Vervet monkeys. Other mammals that call the Reserve home include Buffaloes, Bush Elephants, Uganda Kobs, Golden Cats and Side-stripped Jackals among others.
There are also 9 species of reptiles, over 257 tree and shrub species including 7 species that are Albertine Rift endemics, more than 12 species that are globally threatened and 14 tree species listed under IUCN’s Red List. Also, the Forest Reserve is a home to 20 species of Amphibians including one species that is endemic to the Albertine Rift, 118 species of moths, 292 species of butterflies that include 4 species endemic to the Albertine Rift Mountains and over 225 bird species including several Guinea-Congo Biome bird species. Two of the noteworthy globally threatened bird species within the Forest Reserve include the Black-eared ground thrush (also known as Zoothera camaronensis) and Nahan’s francolin (Francolinus nahani)
Lake Albert, River Nkusi and River Rutoha cannot miss on the list of important attractions within Bugoma Forest Reserve. However, this Forest reserve is threatened by human encroachment, poaching/hunting, political interference-from greedy politicians, illegal harvesting of local herbs, logging and timber cutting among others. Even the permanent rivers that sued to flow within the Reserve-River Rwemiseke and River Hohwa are now seasonal due to the high rate of deforestation. Currently, the Forest is supplied by water from streams that drain to the Rivers and later to Lake Albert.
Bugoma Forest Conservation
Despite the existing threats to Bugoma Forest Central Reserve, a number of good will stateholders e.g. UNHCR, Chimpanzee Trust, Association For The Conservation of Bugoma Forest, Uganda Wild Life Authority, Greening Uganda, Bugoma Jungle Lodges are implementing various projects and activities to conserve and protect the forest.
Bugoma Forest Degraded Land Restoration
Under The Public Private Partnership initiative, Greening Uganda and its partners e.g. Pearl of Africa Vacations, Visit EAC Safaris, Green Connect, Greening Uganda Forestry Services, and Friends of Birds Uganda are working with the National Forestry Authority to restore some of the Bugoma Forest degraded lands. Initially, the partnership will restore 100 hectares. The first of its kind massive Tree Planting Campaign was launched on 9th of November 2019, and 50,000 trees were planted, this included indigenous species such as Mahogany, Mvule, Musizi. Annually, we will continue to restore Natural Forests degraded areas. On 31st March to 2nd April 2023, we will be descending on Budongo & Bugoma Forests to plant 100,000 trees in 3 Days
Greening Uganda is implementing similar initiatives in Budongo Central Forest Reserve, for details follow us at Click Here Similarly, under the Trees For Tourism project, forest restoration planting is being implemented in Budongo Forest, for details follow us at Click Here