Nyungwe National Park : From poachers to guardians.

 

Nyungwe Park is the biggest in Rwanda, and happens to be the oldest in Africa, NIYIGABA Protais the Nyungwe National Park Manager reiterated. However, despite the fact that NYUNGWE is a habitat to various biodiversity, there is a threat posed by poaching, where he cited of about one hundred and fifty (150) traps discovered by the personnel responsible for patrolling NYUNGWE PARK.

Niyigaba said that the Park employs ninety-two (92) people to protect and the Park, and praised the fact that those who are caught indulging in poaching are sensitized, as well as being punished, with regard to those who don’t refrain from the malpractice, however, there are some who have become the guardians of the forest, which is something to be proud of”, Niyigaba pointed out.

Apart from poaching, there other threats to NYUNGWE National Park which include among others, illegal mining, and encroachment from agriculture which have together endangered the well-being of its flora and fauna.

The essence of protecting NYUNGWE Park is the prerequisite of the citizenry, particularly those within the borders of the Park, so as to enhance the good condition of both flora and fauna, for the quest of maintaining ecosystem of the Park intact, and to offer conducive condition the biodiversity within Nyungwe, Niyigaba reiterated.

As long as the former poachers become part and parcel, in the context of ensuring the sustainability of the Park, coupled with mass mobilization with regard to the importance attached to NYUNGWE National Park, the result is a win win out come, because it’s one of the major revenue earners, which in turn plays a vital role in improving the welfare and livelihoods of the population, by providing social amenities for serving residential districts.

These include schools, health infrastructure, environmental protection and landscaping, for serving residential districts including, schools and amenities for health, environmental protection, and most importantly, in the context of supporting life, by maintaining ecological status, as a springboard for production, that enhances welfare.

African Parks is a nonprofit Conservation Organization that takes on direct responsibility, for the rehabilitation and long term management of protected areas, in partnership with governments and local communities.

As far as achievements are concerned, The Park managed to improve on 68 rangers’ training, including the two who were trained as Assistant Instructors. The rangers are all equipped plus uniforms, always with field rations.  Due to relentless efforts attributed to the Park’s management, poaching has drastically decreased, snaring too is slowly dying out, the same applies to illegal mining, arson (burning of the vegetation), illegal tree harvesting and bamboo cutting, road related deaths of the wild life, and littering along the main tarmac road.

In line with NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK’s tourism development plan, in the context of visitation rate across the board, for all categories with Nationals/citizens increasing the most, as they are the majority, approximately 45-50% ,and the International visitors, estimated at 35-40% (with increased duration of stay and expenditure.

        Long term sustainable strategy

 Sustain and enabling environment for effective protected area management, and creating employment opportunities, by hiring competent, and preferably local staff to support the implementation of the Business Plan, as outlined in the long term sustainable strategy.

Complete the construction of the new Head Quarters on the land allocated by Rwanda Development Board (RDB)at Gisakura, diversify tourism and hospitality facilities. This includes the completion of Munazi Lodge, initiating the construction of zip lines, and rope course in trees, maintain existing tourism facilities. All other tourism assets to be maintained where needed and others critically reviewed.

Conservation and habitat management roll out research, and monitoring programs, to provide wildlife population baselines, and release Grey Parrots back to the wild in Nyungwe National Park.  Carrying  out 2023 park wide survey and Continued removal of alien and / or invasive species, and enhanced ecosystem services. and release back to wild and monitoring of the 51Grey Parrots.

A report pertaining to Rwanda’s Wildlife Economy indicated that, Nyungwe National Park’s revenue is approximately US $4.8 billion.

It’s to emphasize the importance of the wildlife economy as well as encouraging both public and private investments in protected and conserved areas, for the sake of improving biodiversity, and supporting national economic development.

The Park’s ambition is to turning conservation into a growth industry, so as to attract other investors, thereby, boosting private sector investment in wildlife resources, and relevant businesses in particular, and the inclusion of the population in the fields of Projects related to environment and wild life,   as well as involving communities in nature and wildlife projects.

Its objectives also include among others to foster Governments with regard to consider wildlife as profitable and, therefore, creating a conducive environment for the wildlife economy, and the conservation of related wildlife resources.

“The income generated by NYUNGWE is estimated to be US$4.8 billion,” according to report,  

Nyungwe National Park’s revenue is worth $4.8 billion. It is the largest remaining area of forest in Rwanda and one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, spanning 1,019 square kilometers of dense forests, bamboo-covered slopes, grasslands, and wetlands.

Covering 1,019 km2 of dense forests, bamboo-covered slopes, grasslands and wetlands, it is the largest expanse of forest in Rwanda

The park feeds two of the world’s largest rivers, the Congo and the Nile, and provides 70 per cent of the country’s freshwater.

The park is also a regional biodiversity habitat, with 1,068 flora species, 322 bird species, 75 mammal species and 13 different primate species.

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on direct responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on direct responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on direct responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on direct responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on direct responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.

Justin Kayiranga

 

REJ