Matiri Central Forest Reserve

03°12′38.26″N 31°11′50.21″E

Matiri Central Forest Reserve
Matiri forest
LocationTooro region, Kyenjonjo district, Western Region, Uganda
Nearest cityKyenjonjo district
Area25 square kilometers
Governing bodyNational Forestry Authority

Matiri Central Forest Reserve is a protected tropical forest reserve that is located in Kyenjojo district of western Uganda. The central forest covers an area of 64 square kilometres (25 sq mi)[1] and is among the few surviving natural forest reserves in the Tooro region.

Setting and structure

Matiri Central Forest Reserve is located in the Muzizi River Catchment and the Albertine rift region. It is part of the renowned elephant corridor which attracts hundreds of tourists each year.[2] The estimated terrain elevation above sea level of Matiri forest reserve is 1020 meters. The latitude of the forest reserve is 3.21056, and the longitude is 32.97337 with the GPS coordinates of 03° 12′ 38.01″ N and 32° 58′ 24.13″ E.[3]

Conservation status

The forest reserve was gazetted in 1962 and reconfirmed in 1998 by the Forest Reserves Declaration order of 1998.[4] In 2023, the Ugandan government partnered with the World Bank to mitigate forest cover loss in twenty-eight forest reserves including Matiri Central Forest Reserve.[5]

Threats

Matiri is surrounded by a high human population densityand activities like agriculture are increasing.[6] Several hectares of forest cover have been cleared for human settlement, agriculture, timber and charcoal.[7] Human activity has also threatened key species including the endangered Red Colobus (Procolobus rufomitratus tephrosceles).[1] Matiri forest is still under threat from a private piece of mailo land known as Mukonomura enclave, which the government did not purchase when the forest was gazetted.[8] The 518-hectare enclave is separated into two plots, with plot 193 belonging to Tooro kingdom and plot 194 belonging to Christine Knops Aliganyira but formerly registered in the name of Samwiri Rukoma. The land, which has multiple tenants, serves as a springboard for forest encroachment.[9]

In 2014, the High Court in Fort Portal ordered more than 200 families to vacate Matiri Central Forest Reserve.[10] In the same year, the government began evicting 434 residents from the Forest Reserve to construct a trading center on the Kyenjojo-Kampala highway.[8] The Court further ordered a halt to all human activities such as farming and charcoal burning in the forest. Most of the encroachers live in the communities of Bwesese, Kyabanengo, Kidukuru, and Mukonomura.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Moses Chemurot - Promoting the Conservation of Red Colobus in Itwara and Matiri Forests, Uganda through Population Monitoring, Awareness Creation and Beekeeping - The Rufford Foundation". www.rufford.org. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  2. Jese.org. "Engaging Farmers in the restoration of the Kibaale - Itwara - Matiri elephant corridor (SPA)". jese.org. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  3. "Matidi Central Forest Reserve, Uganda - GeoYP.com". Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  4. Jaramogi, P. (2014) Court orders encroachers out of Matiri Forest , New Vision. Available at: https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1305628/court-encroachers-matiri-forest (Accessed: 21 May 2023).
  5. Dickens, Okello (2022-03-14). "Gov't Launches Shs 640Bn Investment to Mitigate Forest Cover Loss". ChimpReports. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  6. Kajubu, E. (2015) High Forest depletion raises concern in Kyenjojo District, https://www.ugandaradionetwork.net. Available at: https://ugandaradionetwork.net/story/high-forest-depletion-raises-concern-in-kyenjojo-district (Accessed: 21 May 2023).
  7. "Executive order No3: Museveni bans charcoal trade, guides on the Balaalo". Monitor. 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  8. Musasizi, Simon (2014-11-06). "Govt starts evicting hundreds from forest". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  9. "Disputes: Court decision too late to save forests". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  10. "Encroachers lose court case to block NFA eviction from forest". Monitor. 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  11. Kugonza, S. (2014) Matiri Forest Reserve encroachers start vacating, https://ugandaradionetwork.net. Available at: https://ugandaradionetwork.net/story/matiri-forest-reserve-encroachers-start-vacating (Accessed: 21 May 2023).
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