Publications
Land Suitability Mapping of the Most Illegally Harvested Plant Species using a GIS-based Model in Uganda
Land suitability mapping reveals significant spatial variation in the potential habitats for six illegally harvested plant species in Uganda, with highly suitable areas concentrated in the western and southwestern highlands of the Albertine Rift. This study used a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) framework combined with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to integrate climatic variables, soil properties, topography, and land-use data, generating species-specific suitability maps. While montane species like Prunus africana and Arundinaria alpina showed restricted suitability in cooler, wetter highlands, adaptable species such as Albizia coriaria and Albizia gummifera exhibited broader distribution patterns. The findings highlight the potential for ex-situ conservation and ecological restoration outside protected areas, offering spatially explicit guidance to mitigate pressure on in-situ populations and promote sustainable management of valuable plant resources.
Monitoring the Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Forest Gaps and Health in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Western Uganda
Research reveals that forest gaps in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Uganda, have exhibited significant spatio-temporal variability from 2013 to 2025. The study found non-linear patterns of disturbance, with gap sizes peaking at 1,421.49 hectares between 2015 and 2019, followed by reductions and a sharp resurgence in 2025 (1,381.1 hectares). Vegetation health declined notably in 2017 and 2025, likely due to illegal logging, fire, landslides, and climate stressors, while canopy density also fluctuated, declining significantly by 2025. Multiple linear regression analysis explained 97.2% of canopy density variation, highlighting the strong positive effects of NDVI, EVI, elevation, slope, and rainfall, whereas temperature negatively influenced canopy density. The findings underscore that forest gap formation is driven by both natural and anthropogenic pressures, necessitating enhanced monitoring, stricter conservation policies, and elevation-sensitive forest management to prevent long-term degradation in this ecologically sensitive montane ecosystem.
The long-term hazard cascade of an unprecedented wildfire in a tropical mountain ecosystem
A wildfire that burned 31 km² of pristine tropical forest and wetland in Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains National Park in February 2012 triggered a long-term hazard cascade, including ten major floods since then. Two debris floods required large-scale humanitarian responses, while post-fire erosion widened the River Nyamwamba sevenfold, breaching copper-cobalt mine tailings and mobilizing an estimated 744,000 tons of waste into the river. Slow vegetation recovery at high altitudes and feedback loops between hazards have prolonged this high-risk state. The study combines remote sensing, humanitarian records, field surveys, and interviews to highlight the urgent need for understanding emergent tropical mountain fires and their downstream impacts.
The politics of monitoring and evaluation: Implications for evidence generation and use
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in conservation efforts, particularly in UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, is not merely a technical process but also a political one that shapes how performance evidence is generated and utilized. Research reveals that M&E is often aligned to meet donor requirements rather than local needs, with political leaders engaging in monitoring for electoral benefits. This study, conducted across three Ugandan national parks and neighboring communities using qualitative methods such as interviews and participant observation, highlights the need to acknowledge both the positive and negative implications of M&E politics to achieve its objectives effectively.
Indigenous knowledge for climate action at the Ekyisalhalha kya Karoro sacred site, adjacent to Rwenzori mountains national park in Kasese
Indigenous knowledge (IK) holds significant potential for climate change mitigation, particularly in regions where modern science has limited reach. A case study at the Ekyisalhalha kya Karoro sacred site near Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda demonstrates that traditional practices—such as rainwater harvesting, weather forecasting, and sustainable farming—can effectively address climate risks like rising temperatures, flooding, and desertification. The research highlights IK's accessibility and relevance for climate adaptation strategies, yet its underutilization in current interventions is noted. Using participatory qualitative methods, including interviews with cultural leaders, local authorities, and civil society representatives, the study underscores the need to re-energize and integrate IK into broader climate action frameworks.
The dark side of the moon: first insights into the microbiome structure and function of one of the last glacier-fed streams in Africa
A unique microbial ecosystem thrives in one of Africa's last glacier-fed streams, offering insights into the future of high-latitude glacial environments. The study reveals that the benthic microbiome in Rwenzori Mountains National Park is distinct from other glacier-fed systems, with novel taxa and a dominance of heterotrophic processes driven by abundant photoautotrophs like cyanobacteria and diatoms. Metagenomics shows nearly all prokaryotes can oxidize organic carbon, while over 80% engage in fermentation and acetate oxidation, suggesting tight coupling between primary producers and other microbes. This ecosystem's stability, likely due to the environmental conditions of the Afrotropics, contrasts with higher-latitude systems where glacier shrinkage may increase primary production.
Tourist Agroforestry Landscape from the Perception of Local Communities: A Case Study of Rwenzori, Uganda
Local communities in Ruboni, Uganda, exhibit a strong affinity for the agroforestry landscapes surrounding Rwenzori Mountains National Park, despite ecological and socio-economic pressures threatening land use sustainability. The study reveals that while cultivated features are less central to residents' perceptions of their environment compared to natural elements, both are perceived as beautiful. Residents also express a desire for improved human-engineered facilities, indicating a nuanced relationship with their landscape. This research underscores the need for an integrated land governance model that balances strict protection within the park with more flexible land use outside, addressing current challenges to sustainability.
Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Population Spans Multiple Protected Areas in the Albertine Rift
A study on chimpanzee populations in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park and surrounding protected areas reveals that these regions do not always define distinct populations. Using mitochondrial DNA, researchers found that Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve and Itwara Central Forest Reserve form a single population, while Semuliki National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park represent separate populations. This challenges the notion that protected area boundaries strictly delineate chimpanzee populations, suggesting instead that some areas serve as fragmented landscapes for foraging and dispersal. The study also highlights the need for renewed genetic sampling to better understand these dynamics, leveraging advances in DNA extraction and sequencing technologies.
Recent climate-driven ecological changes in tropical montane lakes of Rwenzori Mountains National Park, central Africa
A recent study reveals that tropical montane lakes in Rwenzori Mountains National Park, central Africa, have undergone significant ecological changes over the past 150 years due to climate warming and glacial recession. The research, using paleolimnological analysis from Lake Mahoma, found a shift in diatom communities towards more tychoplanktonic taxa, concurrent with declining nitrogen isotope values, suggesting increased thermal stratification linked to regional warming. Comparisons across three lakes showed unidirectional compositional turnover, indicating deterministic processes affecting diatom communities, primarily driven by competition for resources. The study also highlighted the influence of glacial history on sediment organic carbon sources, providing insights into the ecological impacts of climate change in these sensitive alpine ecosystems.
Status of illegal resource extraction within Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda: Baseline studies near four hydropower projects
Illegal resource extraction within Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda, is more pervasive and diverse than previously documented. A study near four hydropower projects identified 17 types of illegal activities, with medicinal plant collection and poaching being the most widespread. Poaching showed significant spatial variation across sites (p = 0.03) and increased with distance from park boundaries at two locations (p = 0.05). Community surveys revealed that 68% and 44% of respondents engaged in medicinal plant collection and poaching, respectively, while nearly all (98%) recognized the park as a vital source of natural resources. The findings, derived from in-park plot assessments, nonplot-based methods, community surveys, and ranger patrol records, highlight the need for extended patrols deeper within the park to mitigate illegal activities effectively. This baseline study provides critical data for monitoring temporal and spatial changes during the hydropower projects' duration.
A theoretical framework for investigating ecological problems associated with biodiversity conservation in national parks: A case of the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda
A theoretical framework was developed to address the complex ecological problems associated with biodiversity conservation in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda. This framework integrates multiple interlinked variables to guide research questions, design, and data interpretation, enabling reasoned predictions or exploratory directions. The study highlights the importance of such frameworks in understanding the 'when, how, and why' of ecological phenomena, particularly in complex situations involving human behavior and conservation challenges.
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