Annual Report
July 2010 - June 2011
Table of Contents From Our Director 1 About IGCP 2 Species Conservation Conservation Incentives Transboundary Natural Resource Management Advocacy
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Focus on the 2010 Virunga Massif Census 11 IGCP Financials 13 Acknowledgements 15
A coalition of:
From Our Director This last year, the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) has made significant strides to bolster integrated
conservation of mountain gorilla. Our support has been directed toward the abatement of threats to mountain gorillas. This year has included a responding to climate change, strengthening work with communities around the mountain gorilla habitat, and coordinating conservation efforts with park authorities of the three countries, specifically by building two outposts for a better coverage of patrols in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and in the Sarambwe Forest Reserve in DRC as well as targeted support to coordinated patrols and gorilla monitoring. Also, taking stock of the “white paper” prepared in partnership with the African Wildlife Foundation and EcoAdapt and titled “The Implications of Global Climate Change for Mountain Gorilla Conservation in the Albertine Rift,” IGCP has been busy setting meteorological weather stations for collecting additional information on climate trend that will enhance the quality of our response to the climate change. Working with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and other partners on the ground, IGCP has been heavily involved in an exciting project of supporting The Batwa Trail in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This project is an exposure of visitors to the unique culture of Batwa while providing to Batwa an opportunity to raise their currently meager income. In the same line, IGCP has worked with the beekeepers around Mikeno in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to kick off a promising beekeeping project including honey production, refinery and marketing. IGCP is happy to celebrate 20 years with friends, associates and supporters this year 2011. Looking forward in this year 2011, IGCP will have a leading role in another census in Bwindi, hoping that figures will show a positive trend that we have experienced in Virunga. IGCP will also work on strengthening climate change resilience and shoring up ecosystem integrity of the parks and surrounding lands by setting strategies to decrease the risk of soil erosion in priority areas that are most vulnerable to changing climate conditions. For the same purpose of strengthening climate change resilience, IGCP will implement systematically a water strategy that was completed recently that will improve water availability for local communities bordering the gorilla parks. While this is IGCP’s first public annual report, it is something that we will continue each year, informing you about the work that is being done within IGCP thanks to our dedicated staff; committed coalition; partners on the ground, including park staff and communities; and you.
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Eugène Rutagarama, IGCP Director
About IGCP
IGCP along with the staff of Nyungwe National Park in March 2011.
There are an estimated 786 mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the world, existing in and near transboundary protected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Their status continues to be listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered due to their low population numbers, restricted habitat range, and the continued threats against them. In 1991, three leading conservation organizations- the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)- came together through the International Gorilla Conservation Programme to work to address these threats to mountain gorillas and their habitat. The partnership also incorporates the respective protected area authorities of the three countries where mountain gorillas are foundthe Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). All the work featured in this annual report was undertaken in close collaboration and solidarity with these partners. IGCP’s mission is to conserve the critically endangered mountain gorillas and their habitat through partnering with key stakeholders while significantly contributing to livelihood development. There is a growing recognition among conservationists that a regional, ecosystem-based approach to management is crucial to effective long-term species and habitat protection, particularly in areas of political instability. IGCP employs its four approachesspecies conservation, conservation incentives, transboundary natural resource management, and advocacy- across borders, conscious of differences in context, but focused on regional cohesion.
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Species Conservation Conservation and management-oriented research and monitoring IGCP Staff Involved: Dr. Augustin Basabose, James Byamukama, and Maryke Gray
IGCP plays a key role in the routine monitoring of mountain gorilla populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. In addition to supporting and facilitating the regular monitoring that is undertaken by the park authorities in the three countries, IGCP works to harmonize the data collection at the regional level, ensuring that the transboundary populations of mountain gorillas both in the Virunga Massif (Virunga National Park in DRC, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda) and in Bwindi-Sarambwe (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and Sarambwe Nature Reserve in DRC) are monitored as such, regardless of the international borders. In addition to the complete census of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif, IGCP has also put efforts into the area of climate change monitoring and adaptation.
Climate Change and Mountain Gorilla Conservation IGCP continued work this year related to the development of a regional adaptation strategy to reduce the vulnerability of mountain gorillas and communities to the negative effects of climate change. Following up from a climate change workshop held in Rubavu, Rwanda, in 2009, a final validation and refining workshop was held in Kabale, Uganda, in 2010. Forty participants representing local government and civil society, research institutes, park authorities, and non-profit organizations throughout the region prioritized and refined over 300 adaptation strategies initially identified. The output from this collaborative project is a white paper titled, “The Implications of Global Climate Change for Mountain Gorilla Conservation in the Albertine Rift.� This paper, along with a spreadsheet of all the climate adaptation strategies identified, is available on the IGCP website (www.igcp.org/library).
Workshop to validate and prioritize climate change adaptation strategies within the region.
Meteorological Stations established in Mountain Gorilla Habitat Related to the work on climate change adaptation, was the reinforcement of climate change monitoring in the region. A total of nine automatic micro meteorological stations were installed in areas where mountain gorillas frequently range. The functionality of the automatic weather stations was tested successfully and park staff were trained on the monitoring and maintenance needed to keep the stations operational. The installed automatic weather stations are very easy to operate, recording meteorological data every 30 minutes, and data are stored in the station’s data logger and kept for several months and can be later downloaded using a computer for analysis. The use of these stations will ensure the standardization of data collected in the region, both in time and quality. Two meteorological stations were installed in Virunga National Park (one at the patrol post in Jomba and one at the patrol post in Bukima), two in Volcanoes National Park (one on the foot of Mount Karisimbi in the Mutura area and one on the foot of Mount Sabyinyo in the Kinigi area). One station was installed in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park at Ntebeko and one station was installed in Sarambwe Nature Reserve, where two semi-habituated mountain gorillas have been confirmed ranging continuously. Three stations were installed in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park at sites near Buhoma, Kanungu and Nkuringo.
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Conservation Incentives Empowering communities to improve livelihoods With human population densities approaching 1,000 people per square kilometer in some areas surrounding the mountain gorilla parks, involving communities in productive conservation activities is critical to the continued survival of mountain gorillas. Over this last year, IGCP has reinforced fourteen community organizations representing approximately 52,000 people in both improving livelihoods within their communities and contributing to conservation efforts in the protected areas near their communities. We remain ever-vigilant to support community initiatives with direct linkages to conservation, and in this last year have worked to strengthen local capacity in governance and management and equip communities in the region to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Launch of The Batwa Trail June 7, 2011.
Launch of The Batwa Trail The Batwa people, numbering approximately 3,000 in the Virunga Massif and Bwindi regions, have few opportunities for advancement, being largely landless and stripped of their cultural identity when they lost the ability to depend on the forests of the region for their economic and cultural existence. IGCP has been working with the Batwa community in Kisoro for many years on the development of what is called The Batwa Trail, an eight-kilometer trail in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which is operated and guided by the Batwa themselves, allowing visitors a unique chance to experience the forest through their eyes, including reenactments and a decent into the sacred Garama cave.
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In June 2011, The Batwa Trail was formally launched, although it has been in operation since July 2010. At the official launch ceremony, a historic MOU was signed between the Batwa people, Uganda Wildlife Authority, and the Kisoro local government, making The Batwa Trail the first cultural tourism product within a national park within the region. IGCP will continue to serve on the Tourism Management Committee for The Batwa Trail.
IGCP Staff Involved: Beda Mwebesa, Stephen Asuma, Benjamin Mugabukomeye, Wellard Makambo
Re-aligning Support to Beekeepers This year marked in-depth work with beekeepers throughout the Virunga Massif and Bwindi regions. The Bwindi Beekeepers Development Associations (BBDA) and Nkuringo beekeepers multi-purpose cooperatives were officially registered, a process facilitated by a business service provider with support from IGCP. In Rwanda, a technical training on business planning was conducted for seven cooperatives. In DRC, a market assessment and institutional review of the umbrella cooperative UDASEMINYA was complete with a detailed business plan under way. IGCP will continue this intensive work with beekeepers into the next year, ensuring the ties with conservation included in the business plans, notably to the maintenance of the buffalo wall and support to Human-Gorilla (HuGo) groups. IGCP continues to serve an advisory and, when necessary, a supporting role in the two eco-lodge enterprise associations- Sabyinyo Community Livelihood Association or SACOLA in Rwanda and Nkuringo Community Conservation and Development Foundation or NCCDF in Uganda. Over the last year, 198,818 USD was reinvested into communities near and conservation of Volcanoes National Park from Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge via SACOLA and 32,000 USD was reinvested into communities near and conservation of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge via NCCDF.
Diversification of beekeeping products.
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Transboundary Natural Resource Facilitating conservation across borders IGCP Staff: Eugene Rurangwa, Altor Musema, Eugène Rutagarama, Benjamin Mugabukomeye
Facilitating regional collaboration has been a priority area since the establishment of IGCP in 1991, when most efforts were on direct person-to-person collaboration across borders. The political and conservation context have changed, allowing for the formalization of transboundary collaboration in the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC), which represents the Protected Area Authorities in the three countries. IGCP works closely with the GVTC in efforts to coordinate regional conservation activities, building upon the strengths and mission of each institution. Two regional meetings occurred within the last year, with IGCP passing off the responsibility of facilitation and coordination to GVTC, while maintaining a strong technical supporting role. In addition to the institutional level, IGCP has focused on supporting the capacity of protected area managers at the park level in their activities to protect mountain gorillas and their habitat.
Support to Regional Law Enforcement Two patrol posts were constructed over the last year with support from IGCP. Both officially turned over to the park authorities in December 2010. A patrol post near Sarambwe Nature Reserve in DRC is now complete and operational by l’Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature. The patrol post will help improve the conservation and the management of the Sarambwe while also impacting positively on coordinated patrols between Sarambwe and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. The Nkuringo outpost in Bwindi was completed and now operational by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Four park wardens meetings were held during the last year, some were routine and some were due to acute law enforcement issues. Resulting from the park warden meetings, IGCP supported 17 transboundary coordinated patrols- three coordinated patrols between Volcanoes National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, eight between Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Sarambwe Reserve, and six between Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park. In addition, IGCP supported eight overnight patrols in Volcanoes National Park and three overnight patrols in Sarambwe Nature Reserve. Coordinated patrol.
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Management Reinforcement of the Buffalo Wall While the buffalo wall constructed around the entirety of the Virunga Massif is a deterrent for buffalo and elephants that leave the park to raid the crops in the surrounding fields, it is far from perfect. This last year, IGCP has put efforts in the maintenance and improvement of the buffalo wall including the use of new techniques and tactics to reduce human-wildlife conflict in areas near the protected areas. Over 5.5 kilometers of buffalo wall surrounding the Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Park in DRC was reinforced to a height of 1.5 m and width of 2 m. This work took place in the Jomba area and included the participation of several community associations- both men and women. In Rwanda, 5 km of buffalo wall was also reinforced with a “double wall� 2 m tall and 2 m wide in the sectors of Shingiro, Kinigi, Nyange and Gahunga. The work was completed by four cooperatives from these sectors. In some areas, community members also trenched the inside of the buffalo wall to increase its effectiveness.
Repair and reinforcement of the buffalo wall in Jomba, DRC.
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Advocacy Advocating for best conservation practices within and outside of parks IGCP Staff: Eugene Rurangwa, Eugène Rutagarama, Anna Behm Masozera, Stephen Asuma, Wellard Makambo, Benjamin Mugabukomeye
IGCP continued facilitating cross-border study tours and other ways to encourage the dissemination of lessons learned throughout the region. Most notably, a delegation from the Congolese community association ACODEC participated in a study tour in which they engaged directly with their counterparts in Uganda, the Nkuringo Community Conservation Development Foundation and with the Sabyinyo Community Livelihoods Association in Rwanda. On this study tour they explored what communities had done in partnership with IGCP to directly benefit from mountain gorilla tourism, re-investing profits earned into community development and conservation projects. After 20 years of mountain gorilla conservation, IGCP has a lot of lessons to share. Lessons learned assessments were completed in the areas of human-wildlife conflict and buffer zone management as well as regional meetings. All five compiled lessons learned reports, including these two reports and already developed reports on community conservation, capacity building, and transboundary natural resource management, have been edited and will be formatted and distributed widely in the next year.
Improving Access to Water In Uganda, three 30 m3 community rain water harvesting tanks were constructed in villages around Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Nzogera, Nyagacence and Muramba sub-counties, Kisoro. The communal tanks are now being used by a total population of about 2,000 people. The tanks were commissioned by the Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority in December 2010.
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In Rwanda, two community rain water harvesting tanks were completed (90 m3 in Gahunga Sector and 75 m3 in Shingiro Sector. In Rwanda, the communal tanks were complimented with satellite household rainwater collection tanks. In total 52 tanks were constructed through the association Imbere Heza with support from IGCP. The communal and household water tanks were commissioned in Rwanda by the Chief Operations Officer of the Rwanda Development Board as part of the Kwita Izina gorilla naming celebration in June 2011.
Imbere Heza association of women build household rainwater collection tanks. Five Water User Committees were formed, one for each new communal tank, and were trained in skills to collect community contributions for maintenance of the water tanks, to spearhead the formation and management of Village Savings and Loan Associations, to develop a users’ action plan for post construction operation and maintenance of the tanks, to facilitate communities to improve hygiene and sanitation at the water tank and in their households and to promote the participation of women and marginalized groups in water and sanitation activities. This next year will bring construction of communal and household water tanks near the Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Park in DRC.
Rwandan Students Visit Gorillas IGCP supported and facilitated a total of 464 students, teachers, and head masters to visit mountain gorillas and other attractions in Volcanoes National Park in this last year. These students, teachers, and head masters from schools from each of the sectors neighboring Volcanoes National Park. Nearly all of the students, teachers and headmasters had never before entered the park and none had ever visited the mountain gorillas. It was an experience like none other and one headmaster told IGCP that it was a learning experience beyond what the students learned about nature, it was a lesson in economics, sociology, geology and about themselves.
Students from Butete Secondary School encounter Guhonda from the Sabyinyo family group.
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Virunga Massif Census An eye on what’s happening to unhabituated mountain gorillas IGCP Staff Involved: Maryke Gray, Dr. Augustin Basabose, James Byamukama, Altor Musema, Anna Behm Masozera
Habituated mountain gorillas are monitored on a daily basis. Births, deaths, movements and health are meticulously recorded by trackers and researchers. That information is then archived in a regional mountain gorilla database. But how the population of gorillas is faring as a whole, unhabituated and habituated gorillas alike, is something that cannot be assessed until a systematic census of the population is conducted. The complete census of mountain gorillas conducted in March and April 2010 by the three Protected Area Authorities and participating NGOs and coordinated by IGCP, indicated that the population is now at 480 individuals, a 26.3% population increase since 2003, equating to a 3.7% annual growth rate. These 480 individuals were in 24 habituated groups (349 individuals in groups accustomed to regular visits by researchers or tourists) and 12 unhabituated groups (101 individuals). In addition, 14 lone silverbacks were counted. A correction was made (details of the calculation included in the full report) for the estimated number of infants (16) that were likely missed as they tend to share their nests with their mothers. Looking at the population growth rates for the habituated gorillas compared to the unhabituated gorillas, we see that while the overall population grew by 3.7% annually, the habituated gorilla population grew 4.7% annually and the unhabituated gorilla population grew 0.9% annually. The difference in population growth rates can be attributed to what is coined as the ‘extreme conservation’ extended to habituated gorillas, including the routine monitoring of habituated groups and medical intervention by veterinarians when a life-threatening illness or injury is observed. While the 0.9% growth rate of the unhabituated gorillas between 2003-2010 is low, it is much better than the -0.7% growth rate they experienced between 1972-2003, indicating that conditions have improved for the unhabituated gorillas.
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500 2010 (480)
400
2003 (380) 2000 (359-395) 1989 (324)
300
1972 (274)
1977 (268)
1986 (293)
1981 (254)
200
20
10
00 20
90 19
80 19
19
70
100
= total number of mtn. gorillas, various methods = total number of mtn. gorillas, sweep + genetic verification (currently used method)
Maryke Gray, left, works with a Volcanoes National Park ranger to collect faecal samples during the census.
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IGCP Financials Coalition support to IGCP activities
Sources of funds this fiscal year (all in USD)
52% Via IGCP Coalition Direct to IGCP (AWF, FFI, WWF) IGCP Coalition
48% Direct to IGCP
SOURCE OF FUNDS Via IGCP Coalition Direct to IGCP TOTAL (USD)
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This Fiscal Year 996,710 910,006 1,906,716
Previous Fiscal Year 1,772,164 553,921 2,326,085
Allocation of funds this fiscal year (all in USD) 24% Transboundary Natural Resource Management 12% Advocacy
Totals
TBNRM
SPECIES Conservation
Conservation Incentives 22% Conservation Incentives Advocacy
12% Species Conservation 30% Support Activities
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TBNRM Advocacy Conservation Incentives Species Conservation Support Activities TOTAL (USD)
This Fiscal Year 436,855 214,574 404,105 221,846 544,192 1,821,572
Previous Fiscal Year 180,174 445,482 368,239 534,247 730,898 2,259,040 14
Acknowledgements The International Gorilla Conservation Programme appreciates those individuals, institutions, and organizations that have contributed to the work presented in this annual report, whether directly to IGCP or through our coalition. IGCP is unique as a coalition of leading international conservation organizations that work together to conserve the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas while recognizing the dignity of people. OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS: Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) OUR COALITION: African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) Fauna & Flora International (FFI) World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) (Recognizing WWF-ESARPO, WWF-CARPO, WWF-Sweden, WWF-Switzerland, WWF-UK, and WWF-US)
For more information on how you can support mountain gorilla conservation, go to:
www.igcp.org Email: info@igcp.org Tele: +250 252 580 465 IGCP Regional Office: Off Blvd. de l’Umuganda, Opp. Parliament PO Box 931 Kigali, RWANDA
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