NORTHERN PROVINCE

MUSANZE/KINIGI – Conservationists under the Trans Boundary Conservation core Secretariat, have embarked on a campaign to promote the planting of bamboo plants within the surrounding zones of the Volcano National Park-PNV.

The move is geared at sustainable conservation of the park, soil erosion control and improvement of community livelihoods. Reports say residents have been excessively cutting down bamboo trees for construction, staking crops, handicraft and firewood - leading to wide degradation of the park.

The Trans boundary Conservation core Secretariat works under the BASOLI Programme-Bamboo Promotion for soil conservation and improved livelihoods in the surrounding zones of the Volcanoes National Park.

The programme will be funded by the Netherlands Government, and it will start in the Burera District.

According to Prosper Uwingeri, the Chief park warden in PNV, the illegal collection of resources from the park like bamboo cutting, honey collection and poaching are some of the human induced threats to the endangered gorillas.

Uwingeri, said planting bamboo, is timely due to its enormous uses. The plants act as food to game animals and at the same time they are a big resource to human beings.

The stake holders who included park officials, sector and cell executive secretaries, and conservation associations working within the park, met last Friday to chat out how they would implement the programme.

Ends