SOUTHERN PROVINCE

HUYE — Rwanda’s conservationists have been called upon to strengthen collaboration with officials in order to enhance conservation practices in the region.

The call was made last Friday at the closing of a five-day workshop of conservationist from the Albertine Region.

The workshop brought together academicians from Albertine Rift Region. This region includes Burundi, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania and Rwanda.

Beth Kaplin, the technical advisor, Conservation Biology Project in the Biology Department of the National University of Rwanda, said that the workshop was meant to improve the capacities of dons from different universities in conservation science.

"We looked at how academicians can work on their publications and involving students in publishing work and proposal writing, she said,

"It was the first time that conservation educators from the Albertine Region were meeting as a group. We have availed them with information and training materials to help them in conservation work. They have had an opportunity to interact with regional governments, NGOs and academic conservation professionals."

Kaplin noted that conservation educators were encouraged to have their voices heard in policy and strategic planning, especially in areas of environment conservation.

The Albertine Rift Region that falls on the western part of the Great Rift Valley is characterised by high mountains, with a rich diversity of plant and animal species many of which have not been identified by conservation scientists.

According to Kaplin, the region’s richness in biodiversity has attracted the attention of researchers and biologists which call for conservation. She stressed that success in conservation requires the involvement of governments, academicians and the private sector.

"The countries of the Albertine Region are characterised by high population densities. This means that there has to be measures put in place to protect endangered species like mountain gorillas and other rare plant and animal species," said Kaplin.

Alexander Songorwa of Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania said that the western part of Tanzania, is very rich in biodiversity and needs to be conserved like many other areas. Western Tanzania is the only part of the country that falls under the Albertine Region,

"This region is very rich but it has received little attention. We have animal and plant species like the wild dog and the black rhino that need to be conserved," said Songorwa.

Universities in the region intend to exchange lectures to help in conservation related fields, according to officials. The workshop was also attended by officials from training institutes like Kitabi in Rwanda.

It was funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, USA, the National University of Rwanda, and the Centre for Tropical Ecology and Conservation and the Antioch University New England, USA.

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