The CFRs in Matiri MPA provide wood and non-wood forest products, several services in addition to being a store of large amount of biomass. The forests act as carbon sinks absorbing excess atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions produced by activities of the cottage industries like tea processing, brick burning, bakeries and transport subsector.
Already there are ongoing plans to increase the forest cover through restoration planting by NFA in Rwensambya, Kitechura, Ibambaro CFRs. The natural forests also protect the catchment areas protecting wetlands, rivers and streams that supply water for livestock and domestic use.
This plan shall be implemented by competent professional Foresters to make sure that the prescriptions are achieved. During implementation of this plan, measures will be taken to make sure that the positive environmental and social impacts are maintained and even enhanced.
MPA management shall adhere to set standards for natural forest management, plantation establishment, management and harvesting (Prescription 43).
During plantation establishment fragile/vulnerable areas shall be left under natural regeneration or enriched with suitable indigenous species (Prescription 44).
Where these streams/wetlands are already encroached for cultivation efforts will be made to recover these fragile areas by clearing off the crops and re-establishing a belt of natural vegetation. Conservation education will be regularly done to educate the tree growers and communities on conservation issues affecting the CFRs.
(a) Clearing of Vegetation
The CFRs in the MPA are Tropical High Forests which are on recovery and thus dominated by colonising trees and other plant species. Some of the CFRs also have grassland and woodland patches within.
The community do not recognise the grassland and woodland patches as part of the CFRs since in their opinion forest reserves must have trees in them. The communities therefore tend to clear these grassland and woodland patches for cultivation and grazing. This has led to reduction and loss of biodiversity. It has also resulted in the exposure of soils making them susceptible to erosion.
MPA management shall ensure that the woodland and grassland areas which do not fall in the areas designated as community use areas under CFM are conserved through regular monitoring and community awareness (Prescription 45).
Where the grasslands and woodlands fall in community use areas, MPA management shall put in place adequate measures to ensure that the activities of the communities do not degrade fragile/vulnerable areas (Prescription 46)
(b) Soil Erosion and Degradation
Vegetation clearance during activities such as cultivation, road construction and bush burning exposes soils. Such exposed areas are susceptible to soil erosion during the rainy seasons. In addition, soil degradation and pollution may occur due to application of herbicides and pesticides.
In mitigation, bush clearing on unstable slopes, the use of machinery on highly erodible soils shall be avoided (Prescription 47).
Use of hazardous chemicals, including herbicides and pesticides not recommended under Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards shall be avoided (Prescription 48).
(c) Wildlife Displacement
The number of plant and animal species (biodiversity) has reduced due to loss of habitats through land use changes, especially involving deforestation and degradation of natural high forest and woodlands. Communities around Ibambaro and Rwensambya CFRs, for example, testified that wild animals that used to be common have since disappeared with the degradation of the forests. Replacing these with uniform mono-cultural tree plantations drastically limits the biodiversity that can be supported per unit area.
MPA management shall protect the degraded CFRs to allow natural regeneration or supported to regenerate through restoration planting and tending where the level of degradation is severe such as in Rwensambya and Buhingiro CFRs and parts of the other CFRs (Prescription 49).
Hunting of wild animals other than for the purpose of control of Vermin shall be prohibited in the Matiri MPA CFRs (Prescription 50).
(d) Road Construction and Maintenance
The impacts of road construction include acceleration of soil erosion and loss of flora, fauna and their habitats. Road excavation loosens soils that end up being washed into wetlands and streams, thereby causing siltation and affecting the water quality. Other impacts are modification of the natural drainage pattern and formation of uncontrolled gullies along the roads.
In Mitigation, NFA management will work with relevant institutions (such as UNRA) to ensure proper drainage and stabilisation of road cuts and banks with grass vegetation and regular road maintenance. Tree lines shall be planted at the outer edge of the road reserves and replanting shall be done after clear felling of mature trees (Prescription 51).
The roads made through natural forests shall be 3m wide and there shall be minimum disturbance of the soils and vegetation (Prescription 52).
(e) Wetlands and Stream Banks
The Matiri MPA protects large wetland systems including the rare Miscanthidium wetland; and many rivers and streams. Destruction of natural belts around these wetlands, rivers and streams affects the flow of water through them and negatively impacts the quantity and quality of water due to silting and pollution. These can result in soil erosion and flooding of the surrounding areas.
In order to maintain and sustainably manage the wetlands, rivers and streams in CFRs;
MPA Management shall ensure that all the wetlands are protected according to the NEMA laws and regulations on the management of wetlands, rivers and other fragile areas in Uganda (Prescription 53).
NFA management will ensure that the wetlands which fall along the forest boundary are demarcated with pillars to stop encroachment by neighbouring communities.
The natural forests in Matiri MPA provide basic products like firewood, herbal medicines, and food therefore providing safety net for the rural poor especially during difficult times.
The CFRs now remain as the main areas with trees that provide forest products cheaply to locals as other areas have been cleared for farming. There are many water sources in the CFRs which are accessed by locals. The natural forests provide conducive micro-climate for agricultural based activities supporting community livelihoods.
Forest adjacent Communities will be empowered through CFM to participate in the decision making processes and actual management of the forest resources in Matiri MPA.
The actions to be taken to enhance positive social impacts are listed below:
• MPA management will allow regulated collection of non -timber forest products and services including dry wood, fibre, water and medicinal plants from CFRs.
Local communities shall be encouraged to contribute to the protection of the forests for their own benefit and preference shall be given to the local women, youth when giving out contracts for forest field work (Prescription 54).
The population is increasing around all the CFRs in Matiri MPA and the productivity of the land outside is reducing as the land gets fragmented. The communities have thus engaged in illegal use of CFR land for cultivation and grazing thereby degrading the forests. Besides cultivation the communities engage in illegal harvesting of Forest products for additional incomes. Eviction of encroachers from CFRs will deprive them of a source of livelihoods and income.
Mitigation measures for social impacts are listed below:
• The local community institutions will be given special consideration for licensed harvesting of forest products to minimize competition from outsiders which will not be in their favour.
• Existing CFM programmes in Matiri, Rwensambya and Kitechura CFRs will be strengthened and CFM processes initiated in Buhingiro, Nkera and Ibamabro CFRs to help address the challenges of the community and forest management.
Local people shall be encouraged and supported to grow their own trees and other plant species (such as medicinal herbs and fruits plants) on their land (ex-situ) for both environmental and domestic uses (Prescription 55)