Measures to counter illegal logging and poaching in Rwanda’s national parks should maintain speed considering that the cases are still being recorded, conservation experts have said.
Volcanoes National Park with an area of 160 km² in north-west Rwanda, Nyungwe National Park with an area of 1,019 km² in south-west Rwanda and Akagera National Park with an area of 1,084 km² in Eastern Rwanda and Gishwati-Mukura National Park with an area of 35.6km2 are Rwanda’s protected areas that cover about 10 percent of the country’s area.
During the recent conference of a group of experts in forest conservation convened by the Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC) in the Kigali, Rwanda’s protected areas showcased the gains in terms of conservation.
COMIFAC aims at conservation and sustainable management of the Central Africa forests in the countries of Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe and .Chad
Rwanda’s protected forests are part of the Central African region that currently has 206 protected areas covering a total of 799,000 km².
Rwanda has approximately 724,695 hectares of forest – about 30.4 percent of the country.
The natural forests comprise 57 per cent of total forest cover and are primarily contained within Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Volcanoes National Park and Gishwati-Makura National Park.
Despite these achievements, experts recognise that Central African countries still face many threats of nature conservation namely large poaching of flagship wildlife species such as large mammals, illegal logging of forests, abusive and informal logging for energy needs and land use conflicts.
In an interview with Prosper Uwingeli, the Chief Park Warden of Volcanoes National Park, he said that cases of illegal logging and poaching are still threats to the park.
"We are still recording cases of poaching and illegal logging in the park although it is not at an alarming rate. However, poachers have changed tactics compared to previous years,” he said.
He said people are arrested for logging bamboo which they use as timber.
"We also arrest people with traps to kill buffaloes and kobs. Despite few poaching and logging cases, it shows that there is still a journey and need for conservation awareness,” he said.
He said the traps are also dangerous to other animals such as gorillas in the park despite targeting those for meat.
"We are happy, however, that no poaching is targeting to kill gorillas. We have to work with communities around the park to intensify the fight against poaching and illegal logging. We are working with cooperatives in the fight of which some members were once poachers,” he said.
The park’s contribution to tourism revenues
In 2019, Volcano National Park accounted for 91.7 per cent or $26 million of the $28.5 million generated revenues from three parks with the great contribution of Gorilla trekking.
Despite the effects of Covid-19 pandemic on the revenues, he said, the park is recovering.
"Since May we are recording half of the visitors we used to get before the pandemic. This means there is a quick recovery but at the same time we are intensifying the fight against poachers and illegal logging in the park,” he said.
Revenue sharing scheme, compensation fund, and jobs gained from conservation projects are the major programs that have given alternative sources of income to communities and thus stopping poaching and illegal logging.
Locals are also employed as vets, researchers, trackers, porters and guides, while others work in safari lodges and camps.
At least 10 percent of tourism revenue is shared with communities living around the parks.
By 2018 the Programme had shared $ 5.3 million, supporting 690 community projects.
In 2019, $2.85 million was shared with the community.
From 2016-2018, about $590,000 was paid as compensation by the Special Guarantee Fund to insure people against wild animals’ damage to crops, livestock killed, as well as people injured or killed.
Poaching in other parks
Poaching is also still a threat to Nyungwe and Akagera national park.
Two months ago National Police arrested four men over poaching.
In February Police also arrested two of four hunters that had been endangering wild animals in Akagera National Park.
An informal network of community members, including former poachers, that delivers information to the Akagera National Park security team has since bolstered internal response to potential poachers even before they enter park limits.
Harmonisation in wildlife conservation
Experts in forest conservation have cited significant progress in the implementation of a roadmap to harmonize protected areas and wildlife management policies and legislations in the Central Africa Region.
Two studies namely the study on the harmonization and improvement of legislative and institutional frameworks relating to the management of Fauna and Protected Areas in the 10 member countries of COMIFAC and the study on labelling opportunities for protected areas in Central Africa were recently presented
"The forests of the Congo Basin are on the way to becoming the first green lung of planet earth after the heavy deforestation recorded in recent years in the Amazon basin”, said Chouaibou Nchoutpouen, the Deputy Executive Secretary of COMIFAC.
He stressed that their role in storing carbon is essential to reduce global warming.
Rwandan Minister of the Environment, Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya stressed that the studies will not only improve legislation but also mobilize resources for the management of protected areas.
Ildephonse Kambogo, the Product Development Division Manager at Rwanda Development Board said that public private partnership has been identified as the best model in conserving protected areas while generating revenues from them adding that Rwandan Parliament has just passed a Biodiversity and wildlife Conservation Law expected to propel efforts in conservation and fighting poaching.