Kagombe Central Forest Reserve
Forest in Uganda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kagombe Central Forest Reserve is a 301-square-kilometre (74,000-acre) forest reserve located in Western Uganda's district of Kagadi and Nyamarundu sub county.[2][3][4][5] It is also located in Uganda's Albertine Rift ecoregion area renowned for its rich biodiversity.[6]
| Kagombe Central Forest Reserve | |
|---|---|
| Kagombe forest | |
  Location within Uganda | |
| Location | Western Region, Uganda |
| Nearest city | Kagadi |
| Coordinates | 0.842°N 30.796°E |
| Area | 301 km2 (116 sq mi) |
| Governing body | National Forestry Authority (NFA) |
Conservation status
Kagombe forest reserve was designated in 1932[5] and is managed by Uganda's National Forestry Authority (NFA).[2] It is home to different flora and fauna including chimpanzees.[7] Other species in the forest include Elgon Olive, Preminor Angoles, Macamia platicalex, Ebony and Abezia.[5] In 2019, NFA evicted encroachers from Kagombe Forest Reserve to support restoration of Uganda's forest cover and ensure conservation of protected areas.[4][8][9] In 2022, the NFA in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature, Uganda launched a forest restoration drive for Kagombe and Bugoma forest reserves.[10][11][12]
Threats
The forest reserve is threatened by encroachment, charcoal burning, crop raiding, forest fires, illegal pitsawing and medicinal plant collection.[4][7][13][14] Hunting of bush meat with dogs and nets in Kagombe Forest is prevalent since the forest is less intensively visited by staff.[14] Chimpanzees in Kagombe are affected by indiscriminate effects of snaring using spears and bows.[14] In the previous decade, agribusiness has devastated nearly three-quarters of Kagombe Central Forest Reserve. Since 2000, over 13000-hectares of Kagombe forest has been encroached on by locals in Kagadi district.[4][15][16] Some local communities have joined together to counteract the effects of climate change through afforestation and patrolling.[17]