Sustainable mountain development in East Africa in a changing climate

First page Previous page 45 Next page Last page

New initiatives are being developed in the Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda to promote tourism while also preserving the park’s biodiversity, providing alternative livelihood opportunities for local communities and reducing the threat of illegal poaching and fires (RBD, 2015). Thenaturalbeautyofmountainareasisamajortourist attraction – from high snow-capped and glacier- covered mountain peaks to dense forests teeming with wildlife. Negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems may reduce tourism revenues. The montane forests in East Africa have some of the highest concentrations of unique species in the world and are home to one of Africa’s most famous and critically endangered species – the mountain gorilla. Found only in the mountain forests in DRC, Rwanda and Uganda, the mountain gorilla attracts thousands of tourists to the Virunga, Volcanoes, Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. Collaborative conservation measures between the three countries have been successful in increasing the Virunga mountain gorilla population from 250 in 1981 to 480 in 2011 (UNEP, 2014). While there are few benefits for local people, gorillas contribute significantly to the national economies. Estimates suggest that in Uganda, each gorilla brings in USD 1 million in revenues annually (Debarbieux et al., 2014). As mountain gorillas have a high tolerance for a wide range of temperatures, feed on a variety of plants and have low water requirements, they are not directly threatened by climate change. However, due to their small population and limited geographical range, low reproductive rates and high susceptibility to diseases, mountain gorillas are risk from the indirect consequences of climate change, such as increased human population pressure and habitat destruction, poaching, civil unrest due to sociopolitical instability as well as increased exposure to diseases (WWF, 2014).

Ecosystem services: Tourism

ETHIOPIA

SOUTH SUDAN

Lake Turkana

UGANDA

Murchison falls National Park

KENYA

DRC

SOMALIA

Lake Albert

Laikipia plateau

Kampala

Kibale forest National Park

M. Kenya National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Lake Victoria

Volcanoes National Park

Nairobi

Akagera National Park

Lake Kivu

RWANDA

Serengeti National Park

M. Kilimanjaro National Park

Kigali

Nyungwe National Park Rusizi National Park

Kibira National Park

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ruvubu National Park

Bujumbura

BURUNDI

Lake Manyara

Tarangire National Park

Livingstone–Stanley Monument

Kagera falls

Mombasa

Lake Tanganika

TANZANIA

Pemba Island

Zanzibar

Protected areas above 1 400 m

Ruaha National Park

Main touristic places Main touristic places and Heritage site

Mafia Island

World Heritage sites (UNESCO)

Selous Reserve Game

Cultural

Natural Mixed In danger

200 km

ZAMBIA

Sources: UNESCO, “WorldHeritageList”,whc.unesco.org (accessedDecember2015);EastAfricaTourismPlatform,ea-tourism-platform.org (accessedDecember2015); UNEP,2014, “AfricaMountainsAtlas”,UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme .

Made with FlippingBook