A Ecological Baseline Surveys Of: - Lake Bisina - Nature Uganda

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW OF THE BASELINE SURVEY
Michael Opige Odull
Achilles Byaruhanga
NatureUganda, The East Africa Natural History Society
1.0 Overview of the COBWEB project
Wetlands cover about 30,000 km 2
of Uganda’s land area and are considered to be important
ecosystems, which contribute considerably to the national economy and rural livelihoods. However,
these important ecosystems are currently under increasing pressure due to factors such as
population growth, economic reforms, climate change and the desire for increase in per capita
income and other pressures of the development process. Threats include among others uncontrolled
conversion of the wetlands into agricultural areas and unplanned developments and wetland uses
which may have adverse effects on the capacity of the wetlands to perform natural functions. In
order to address these threats, there is need to promote wise use of the wetland ecosystem. This
can be done using existing guidelines or by developing other guidelines that will assist the various
districts in developing ordinances and bye-laws to regulate the use of wetlands in their areas of
jurisdiction.
The International Union for Conservation of nature (IUCN) in collaboration with the Wetlands
Management Department (WMD), Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), NatureUganda (NU)
and Uganda Wildlife Society (UWS), are implementing a four-year project titled “Extending wetland
protected areas through community conservation initiatives” in eastern and western Uganda
(COBWEB).
The project aims at strengthening the Ugandan Protected Area (PA) network by expanding the
coverage of the PA network to include the country’s biologically important wetland ecosystems.
The project will develop, pilot and adopt suitable PA management models in two respective wetland
systems adjacent to two terrestrial PA networks in Eastern and Western Uganda. Management
will be geared to the specific needs of wetlands and will allow for development of protection
and sustainable management strategies that shall be implemented by rural communities and be
adoptable to others.
1.1 Introduction to ecological baseline surveys
In order to effectively fulfil the objectives of the project, there is a need to undertake the socioeconomic,
knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) and ecological surveys. The surveys are aimed
at identifying and documenting the resources, their use values and how to protect the richness and
diversity of the wetland in perpetuity. Specifically the ecological study will determine the physical,
chemical parameters and the biodiversity of the two wetland systems of the Bisina – Opeta and Mburo
– Nakivali. The ecological surveys therefore will form part of the project output aimed at documenting
the baseline information of targeted wetlands that are adjacent to the Protected Area systems. The
baseline surveys shall be done on the specific selected physical, chemical parameters of Lake Mburo
– Nakivale wetland system and Bisina – Opeta wetland system and their flora and fauna.
1.2 Overall objectives of the surveys
The overall objective of the survey is to assess and document baseline ecological characteristics
of the wetland systems of Mburo - Nakivale and Bisina -Opeta such that the information generated
can inform the subsequent delivery of project objectives. The specific objectives of the survey are:
Ecological Baseline Surveys of Lake Bisina, Lake Opeta, Lake Mburo and Nakivali Wetlands Systems 5