Spatial patterns of illegal resource extraction in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Abstract

SUMMARYConservation policy typically excludes people from national parks and manages encroachment by law enforcement. However, local people continue to extract resources from protected areas by boundary encroachment and poaching. This paper quantifies the patterns of illegal resource extraction from Kibale National Park in Uganda, the demand for Park resources by communities bordering the Park, and examines whether designated resource access agreements reduce illegal extraction. Sections of the Park boundary were examined and human entry trails, wood extraction, livestock grazing, and animal poaching signs were quantified. Levels of illegal extraction were compared with the demand for and admitted illegal access to resources inside the Park, collected in a survey of households located near the Park. Extraction was also compared between villages with and without negotiated resources access agreements. The most wanted and extracted resource from the Park was wood for fuel and construction. Implementation of resource access agreements with local community associations was found to be an effective means of reducing illegal extraction, but only if the association members profited from the agreement.

Assessing Habitat Quality of Forest-Corridors through NDVI Analysis in Dry Tropical Forests of South India: Implications for Conservation

“…They are also easy prey for wild carnivores due to their little antipredator behavior. These factors may cause conflict between forest dependent community and forest managers [6].…”

“…Additionally they included information on road networks and accessibility [11]. Mackenzie et al (2011) also utilized the "number of stems harvested" as a variable to assess the anthropogenic disturbance in Uganda's Kibale national park [6].…”

“…Urbanization, increase in human habitation, expansion of farmland, forest resource extraction in the wildlife habitats, etc., increase biotic pressure on the forest, and have associated impacts on wild animals [5,6]. Therefore, all forms of anthropogenic interactions with the environment are identified as leading causes of climate change, and they in turn impact the environment and climate either positively or negatively [7].…”

Impacts of Wood Poaching on Vegetation Structure and Composition in Mukuvisi Woodland, Zimbabwe

“…Mukuvisi Woodland, being almost surrounded by urban residential areas is subjected to anthropogenic pressure where human livelihoods like energy needs are heavily dependent on wood derived from the study area. High wood poaching impacts were close to the boundary compared to the central parts as wood poachers want easy and quick exit from the park to reduce chances of being caught [31] and increasing distance from human settlements has been observed to correlate positively to wood biomass [32]. However, wood poaching may allow regrowth on under-represented species and woody biomass may accumulate rapidly after disturbance [31] as evidenced by the presence of saplings in the study area.…”

“…Wood poaching is regarded as a threat to protected area woodland in close proximity to human habitations [13]. Zimbabwe faced economic challenges between 2000 and 2008 which led to increased power cuts, among other shortages, leading to local people in urban areas to heavily rely on wood fuel and gas among other energy sources.…”