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Greater Virunga landscape (GVL)
GVL is shared between Uganda, DRC and Rwanda, trans-boundary landscape. The Uganda part of the GVL can be a model for biodiversity protection, economic growth and sustainable development in Africa.
Landscape description
Resting along the shared boundaries of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Uganda, the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL) is an interconnected set of protected areas that contains more terrestrial vertebrate species and more endemic and threatened vertebrate species than any other site in Africa. The GVL has the following specific and notable features:
1. An interconnected set of protected areas in western Uganda, Rwanda and eastern DRC
2. Wide diversity of habitats and altitudes and critical ecosystem services
3. Transboundary water tower for the entire region; Africa’s most productive lakes (George and Edward)
4. Large and growing human population, forming some of the world’s highest densities of rural populations. Key income sources: forest products, small-scale agriculture, fisheries and increasingly tourism
5. More terrestrial vertebrate species and more endemic and threatened vertebrate species than any other site in Africa
6. Important populations of African elephant, African lion, buffalo, okapi and hippo.
7. Twenty primate species coexist, including the entirety of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population
Country
Uganda
Contact organisation
WWF Uganda Country Office (UCO)
Local landscape lead
Harold Turinawe
Main partners
Uganda Trading Coalition
Government endorsement
Partial, no heavy land use planning
Private sector partner
Strong connections with PS actors in FLR (NFC), hydropower company, and tourism. No international brand, need to build access to market.
Total area (ha)
600,000 ha
Overall goal
Draft vision of the transbounary GVL: "The GVL is a model for transboundary landscape level biodiversity protection and sustainable development in Africa." NB: Goal of the Uganda program under development.
Expected impacts
Uganda results are not yet ready, but will build on GVL expected results (draft):
Draft impact (for refinement):
•By 2030, target species (African elephants, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, African lions TBC) numbers are stable / growing
•By 2030, priority habitats within the GVL are secured and providing habitat connectivity and ecosystem services
•By 2030, sustainable natural resource use is delivering increased benefits to people at local and national level Draft outcomes (for refinement):
•By 2030, legal, policy and institutional frameworks in the GVL support sustainable natural resource use and equitable benefit sharing
•By 2030, there is a united and strong voice for sustainable natural resource management within the GVL
•By 2030, human-wildlife conflict is reduced and there is zero poaching
•By 2030, land-use is sustainably managed and guided by integrated transboundary landscape planning
Threats
There are multiple pressures on the GVL, including the pressure for agricultural land and freshwater resources from the growing rural population, the impact of armed conflict in Eastern DRC, unsustainable poaching and illegal trade in timber and wildlife products, and the pressure from extractive industries and infrastructure development. At the same time, the biogeography of the GVL renders it, and the people living within it, highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In response, both government and non-governmental agencies have been active in conservation and livelihood initiatives over several decades, both within and outside the Protected Areas. This effort has achieved some significant and celebrated successes, including the recovery of large mammal populations in many areas and, through exemplary collaboration, the increase in mountain gorilla numbers. WWF seek to build on these successes in the face of ever-increasing pressures and challenges.
Landscape approach
The approach is a cominbation of many strategies, some already under way, some others to be initiated:
- Catchment / basin management
- PES programs
- Integrated water resources management
- Climate smart agricultural landscapes
- Sustainable production landscapes / jurisdictional certification / landscape sourcing
- Ecosystem / forest restoration landscapes
Commodities
FLR, with the government and 12 disctricts forest owners association, membership of 1200 farmers. Promotion of water for production in drought prone area around Rwenzori, Queen and Imaramagamo and Bwindi PA (rainwater harvesting and sust. land management). Promotion of clean energy for cooking, lighting, targeting 5000 HH.
Related Sector
To be added
Global brands present
N/A
Lead institution
Budget
No answer chosen
Current sources of funding
Current: NORAD, SIDA, DANIDA, WWF DK
Potential: DFCD on BP
Deesha Chandra Dec 3, 2020
The idea has been progressed to the next milestone.
Reply 0
Paul Chatterton Dec 3, 2020
I’m excited to see this. The Virungas must be one of the most important landscapes on the planet. There is nothing to compare with the great apes, but few realise what a remarkable hotspot of plant and animal diversity this is. Great to be working with the Virungas team.
Reply 1
Deesha Chandra Jan 8, 2021
The idea has been progressed to the next milestone.
Reply 0
Deesha Chandra Jan 8, 2021
The idea has been progressed to the next milestone.
Reply 0