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frequently asked questions
What is the Trust?
The Wild Places Conservation Trust was created to work towards the preservation of Uganda’s unspoiled areas. The Trust is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of the former Minister of Tourism, the former head of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), local leaders and conservation professionals.
How does the Trust operate?
It is the responsibility of the Trust to oversee and allocate funding throughout Uganda to projects focused on preserving ecosystems in the most remote areas of Uganda. The Trust serves as the governing body of Ugandan conservation projects and works with donors and financial partners to ensure fiscal responsibility and sound project management.
What projects is the Trust involved in?
The Trust efforts are currently focused on the Semliki Valley Conservation Project (SVCP), a much needed intervention to save the highly threatened Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve (TSWR). The Trust is actively working to lay the groundwork for the SVCP through fund solicitation, negotiations with local and government stakeholders, and strategic planning.
What is the Semliki Valley Conservation Project (SVCP)?
The SVCP aims to work with local stakeholders to protect and restore the TSWR, a delicate, biologically diverse ecosystem in need of improved conservation strategies and community support. Through better protection, improved ecosystem conservation and increased socioeconomic development in the region, the Semliki Valley Conservation Project aims to preserve the habitat while simultaneously decreasing the dependence of local communities on the reserves natural resources. The project has the twin objectives of maximizing the ecological potential of the TSWR and ensuring that those most affected by the health and well being of the ecosystem in the area will have a vested interest in its success.
What is the history of the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve (TSWR)?
The TSWR is 550 sq. kms. of pristine wildlife habitat in the heart of the Western Albertine Rift. The reserve was the first protected conservation area in Uganda and in the 1960’s it boasted one of the largest wildlife population densities in East Africa. These populations were devastated during the 1970’s and 1980’s through uncontrolled hunting, poaching and resource depletion; destruction that was exacerbated by the turmoil following the ousting of Idi Amin.
Why was the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve (TSWR) chosen as the first project site?
The Trust determined that the TSWR would be the focus of it’s first project because it is highly threatened and very ecologically valuable so the need for intervention is urgent. The Reserve is very high in biodiversity and the key factors that make it ecologically significant are listed below:
- TSWR has a great variety of habitat types earning it the nickname “Little Tanzania”.
- The Semliki Valley contains 48% of East Africa’s bird species, including the unique shoebill.
- The TSWR provides a valuable wildlife corridor for animals fleeing troubled, unprotected areas in Congo.
- TSWR is one of the few areas where forest and savannah elephants coexist.
- The reserve is the easternmost habitat for several West African animal species.
- TSWR has one of only a handful of dry habitat chimpanzee populations in the world.
What problems does the Trust plan to address through the Semliki Valley Conservation Project?
The following is a list of conservation issues that currently exist within the reserve and will be a key focus of the protection and conservation components of the SVCP:
- Poaching is reducing wildlife numbers and threatening certain species struggling to come back from near local extinction.
- Cattle grazing is devastating parts of the reserve, allowing invasive species to thrive and making lions vulnerable to poisoning from cattle owners.
- Deforestation is rampant as communities harvest trees for firewood, timber and charcoal making.
- Fish populations in Lake Albert are steadily decreasing due to over-fishing and the use of harmful fishing techniques.
What are the main strategies that the Trust will use in Semliki Valley Conservation Project (SVCP)?
The Trust will work closely with UWA to improve existing protection measures by providing additional ranger training, better field operations equipment, improved communication mechanisms and enlarging the vehicle fleet. Other protection measures include the establishment of ranger outposts, regular mobile patrols, increased monitoring of wildlife corridors and wildlife movement, and the installation of wildlife fencing along critical encroachment areas.
The community development portion of the project will target 5 key communities along the reserve boundary. Projects will vary according to the needs of individual communities and will fall under one of 4 categories: economic development, public health, sustainable use of resources and conservation education and training.
