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Inclusive Park and buffer management of Uganda’s unique World heritage site to enhance ecosystem services, livelihoods and climate

Our partnership with WWF in Rwenzori Mountains National Park works towards securing finance to decrease deforestation efforts by ensuring communities adjacent to the park, have improved their livelihoods, and are working together with Park management to safeguard a resilient landscape.

  • 00.000

    people benefit directly from the project

  • Where
    Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda
  • Focus area
    Biodiversity
  • Duration
    2023 - 2027
  • Economy
    DKK 15 million
Prime partner: WWF

Background

The Rwenzori Mountains straddle the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and are the heart of the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL). The GVL is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The Rwenzori Mountains National Park (RMNP) is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the Mountains of the Moon, are home to a diverse range of habitats. The RMNP covers nearly 100,000 ha in western Uganda and comprises the main part of the Rwenzori Mountain chain.

The area is considered a national "water tower" providing 2 million people with fresh water, and both businesses and the population are depending on the area for access to water, farming, fishing, hydro power, transportation, industrial production etc. 

The national park is under threat from deforestation, poaching and habitat fragmentation. Significant growth (est. 3.6 per cent pa) in an already dense population combined with extensive poverty means very limited access to farming land, jobs, construction materials and fire wood. Subsequently pushing the population further into the park with illegal felling and poaching as result.

The national park strives to uphold the necessary park management and protection of the area, but the income is insufficient to halt a massive deforestation and substantial loss of biodiversity.

The name 'Rwenzori' translates to 'rainmaker'.

The Project

Phase 1 of the project “A Sustainable Future for Uganda’s Unique World Heritage” was supported and implemented from 2019-2022. Its aim was to safeguard the Rwenzori Mountains National Park (RMNP) and surrounding buffer. Phase I, has effectively set the foundation by; establishing the vital strong partnerships and collaboration with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and RMNP park staff, partners, and neighboring communities; piloting and initiating monitoring mechanisms and ensuring full access and support of the surrounding communities, who are vital in upholding an intact ecosystem. The lessons learnt in Phase I, will provide a strong basis for the second phase, including innovations aimed at establishing sustainable financing mechanisms for continuation of the initiatives beyond the project to ensure sustainability.

Phase II (2023-2027), aims at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the implemented interventions, strengthening the initiatives, and boosting the local financial mechanisms and markets so that these interventions can continue to expand and flourish self-reliantly and continue beyond the project end date.

Objectives

  1. The park management of RMNP becomes more effective, efficient, and inclusive. The aim is to improve and sustain a successful park management, led in collaboration with communities to ensure buy-in and support.
  2. Local communities are engaging in Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) and alternative livelihoods. The project works to strengthen the foundation for a robust and inclusive park management by providing self-sustaining alternative livelihoods and restoring the park's buffer zones.
  3. Securing increased and diversified funding streams for the landscape. The aim is to explore sustainable financing mechanisms for the park management activities and providing livelihood opportunities for local communities.
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