Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, July 1998

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Farmers’ knowledge of indigenous tree cultivation around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda by J. Obua and G. Muhanguzi.

This article presents the results of a study carried out around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (Uganda), where a project had been started to cultivate indigenous trees. It assesses the local knowledge pertaining to the cultivation of these trees, as well as constraints on indigenous tree cultivation. The article ends with recommendations for techniques that could help farmers to improve the quality and yield.

The cultivation of trees together with agricultural crops has long been practiced in many parts of the world. Farmers plant indigenous trees to control soil erosion, as well as for fodder, firewood, medicine, building poles and timber. In most developing countries indigenous knowledge is fundamental to the development of agriculture and the management of small farms. Such knowledge reflects experience gained from past generations, which can be applied in today’s ecological and cultural environment, alongside mainstream development strategies. A case in point is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where farmers’ knowledge of indigenous tree cultivation is used to help conservation, and reduce human pressures on the natural forest.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable is an Afromontane forest occupying part of the Kigezi Highlands in south western Uganda. It is located between latitudes 0° 45' - 1° 10' S and longitudes 29° 35' - 29° 50' E. (See map) It covers 32,100 hectares of land located 29 km northwest of Kabale, 18 km north of Kisoro and 40 km southeast of Lake Edward. The western boundary is part of the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The topography is extremely rugged, consisting of narrow steep-sided valleys that run in various directions and are bounded by emergent hill crests lying at altitudes of 1,190 m in the north and 2,607 in the south.
The area has a population of nearly one million, the population density is about 230 persons per square kilometre, and the growth rate is 2.7%. There are three ethnic groups; the Bakiga (90%) and Bafumbira (9.5%) are mainly agriculturalists, while the Batwa (0.5%), previously forest dwellers, depend in part on hunting and gathering.
Map

Forest resources
Bwindi forest has a long history of occupation, probably dating back 32,000-47,000 years (Cunningham 1996). Forest clearance for agriculture is thought to have begun some 2200 years ago (Taylor 1990; Taylor & Marchant 1995) with the arrival of Bantu-speaking peoples with iron-smelting technology. They encountered the Batwa people, who traded forest products for food.
In 1932, Bwindi forest was gazetted a forest reserve and in 1964 an animal sanctuary (Wild & Mutebi 1996). It was declared a National Park in 1991 (Butynsky & Kalina 1993; Cunningham et al. 1993).
Aerial photo analysis has shown that about 30% of the forest was cleared between 1954 and 1991 (Scott 1992), and today there is virtually no forest remaining outside the park boundary. The land is used intensively, for sorghum, millet, peas, wheat, potatoes, beans, bananas and cassava.
Bwindi forest was exploited for timber by licensed pit sawyers (Leggat & Osmaston 1961; Kingston 1967). The Forest Act of 1964 made provision for the local use of minor forest products (Leggat & Osmaston, 1961; Butynsky 1984; Howard 1991; Cunningham 1996). While Bwindi was under the Uganda Forest Department, the use of certain forest products, particularly climbers, was controlled by free permits issued by forest guards. There was no control over the collection of medicinal plants. However, now that it is a national park, forest products are obtained from zones designated for community use.

Indigenous tree cultivation
The size of the population in the Kigezi Highlands and the demand for forest products led to forest encroachment and the massive exploitation of forest resources. The local population did plant trees in their gardens in order to control soil erosion on the steep slopes and provide firewood, building poles and bean stakes. One of the species used was black wattle (Acacia mearnsii), a tree not indigenous to Uganda but to Australia; it is called "Omushe" in Rukiga, the local language. But this was a problem on two counts. First, the cultivation of black wattle and other exotic trees did not fully meet the needs of the local communities for timber and other forest products. Second, there was a need to reduce human pressures and conserve the forest. In 1993 this prompted CARE, an American NGO, to start a tree-planting project, as part of its on-going integrated conservation and development project (CARE-DTC: Development Through Conservation).
By 1994 some 300 farmers had been supplied with indigenous tree seedlings. Over the past four years (1994-97), indigenous trees have been cultivated by local communities living around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest under a traditional land-use system.

Study
As a follow-up to the CARE-DTC tree-planting project around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, we carried out a study to document farmers’ knowledge of tree cultivation and management, and to identify constraints on indigenous tree-growing around the forest. The research involved farmers who were participating in the CARE–DTC tree-planting project and lived in villages less than five kilometres from the forest boundary.
We wanted to obtain not only information on how the farmers managed and raised the seedlings provided by CARE–DTC, but also on how they managed trees that grew naturally on their land. This information was obtained through visits and interviews with sixty farmers. Through the visits, we were able to observe on the spot the performance of the indigenous tree seedlings supplied by CARE–DTC and planted by the farmers. Through the interviews we recorded local knowledge of tree management and the constraints on tree cultivation. Through a combination of visits and interviews, we were able to assess the types of indigenous trees planted and the reasons for planting them.

Local knowledge of indigenous tree cultivation
The interviews showed that long before the start of the CARE–DTC project, farmers living around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park were managing indigenous trees growing naturally in their crop fields. They spared the tree during cultivation and planted mainly wildlings from the natural forest to cultivate indigenous trees. This practice is commendable, as it reduces the necessity of first raising seedlings in nurseries.
The farmers said that they also planted the tree seedlings supplied by the CARE–DTC project, preferring the species with more than one use. This tallies with the results of Foley and Bernard (1984), who found that interest in traditional tree growing in many parts of Africa depends on several factors, chief among them the many products that a tree can provide. Since indigenous trees grow slowly and take a long time to mature, farmers around Bwindi have chosen to grow only those species that can control soil erosion and provide the desired forest products.
Trees such as Zanthoxylum gillettii (Syn. Fagara macrophylla) were planted on compounds, because of the traditional belief that they help to keep away evil spirits. "Bwiko" (Erythrina abyssinica) are planted on sites where ancestral rituals are performed. "Omungo" (Polyscias fulva) is rarely planted, because it is thought to attract owls that bring misfortune on the homestead.

Farmers’ knowledge of tree management
To stimulate the germination of indigenous tree seeds before the onset of the next rains, some 10% of the farmers said they burned bushes on pastures and uncultivated land. The tree species cultivated in this way were black wattle; "Omutoyo" (Newtonia buchananii); "Mubaba" (Olinia rochetiana (Syn. O. usambarensis) and "Mukale / Musongati / Muhahara" (Margaritaria discoidea).
Another 30% indicated that they watered seedlings and about 60% said they pruned the trees at the age of three to five years to improve stem form. Here it was difficult to isolate the farmers’ indigenous knowledge, as many farmers living around Bwindi have been taught modern methods of raising tree seedlings which involve watering the nursery beds. Nonetheless, we noted that species such as East African yellow wood (Podocarpus latifolius (Syn. P. milanjianus); "Omuhulire") and Alnus natalensis had been pruned, in some cases very crudely. In such cases, we suggest that farmers be given guidance on appropriate, non-destructive tree management techniques.
We also observed the scoring of bark on the stems of Red stinkwood (Prunus africana); "Omumba"), which is supposed to stimulate early flowering and fruiting. As yet, however, there is no information which would permit comparison.

Constraints on tree cultivation
We noted several constraints on indigenous tree cultivation. First, the trees growing on croplands were browsed by goats and trampled by cattle. Newly planted seedlings were trampled and uprooted by livestock, thus delaying stand establishment. Seedlings planted very close to footpaths were also vandalized and destroyed by heavy foot traffic. These problems have forced many farmers to cultivate trees on private compounds and home gardens. In addition, fragmentation, insecure land tenure and limited rights of access to land hinder the participation of women in tree planting. And lastly, controversial government control over the harvesting of valuable timber trees such as "Iroko / Mvule / Muvule" (Milicia excelsa) and "Omushamba" (Parinari excelsa) discourages farmers from cultivating these species, because they must get permission to cut them down.

Conclusion and recommendations
Farmers are benefiting from indigenous tree cultivation in many ways. Already, the trees are helping to control soil erosion and stabilize slopes where agricultural crops are grown. From the time the seedlings reached the pole stage, farmers harvest firewood, building poles, medicines, bean stakes and fodder for livestock. It is expected that when the trees mature, they will provide sawn timber as well. These findings are consistent with a recent observation by Cunningham (1996) that the rapid population growth around Bwindi and the corresponding high demand for forest products on the part of local communities should to be met by means of a major tree-planting effort. Such a strategy would greatly help to protect the natural forest and enable it to recover from the effects of past exploitation and degradation. At the same time, recent approaches to the conservation of natural forests emphasize the value of indigenous knowledge (Gonzalez 1995) and the participation of local communities in planting indigenous trees as alternatives to natural forest products (Wild & Mutebi 1996). The lesson that can be learned from this study is that indigenous tree cultivation benefits the farmers and supports the participatory conservation of natural forests. The experience also serves to demonstrate that indigenous tree cultivation can be an effective and appropriate conservation measure. The cultivation of indigenous trees around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a relatively new practice and farmers plant trees that provide substitutes for natural forest products. Using wildlings is a conservation strategy that should be supported and introduced into local communities living around other natural forests in Uganda. Although indigenous trees take a long time to mature, the current initiative has demonstrated that the cultivation of indigenous trees considerably reduces human pressures on protected forests. Moreover, local people have considerable knowledge of indigenous tree cultivation, which can do much to reduce natural forest exploitation and degradation.
Farmers need to learn other tree management techniques, such as coppicing and pollarding, in order to improve productivity and yield. Coppicing involves cutting down a tree so that several young shoots can sprout. Pollarding consists in removing the tree crown so that new shoots can sprout, which are protected from fire and grazing livestock. This method is particularly useful for the production of fire wood. Farmers could also be taught basal pruning and vertical pollarding, which improves stem growth and reduces taper. These techniques promote the growth of high-value timber and small-diameter firewood.

Dr J. Obua and G. Muhanguzi
Department of Forestry
Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
Makerere University
P.O. Box 7062
Kampala
Uganda
Fax: +256-41-533 574.
E-mail: Ufric@starcom.co.ug

References
- Butynski, T.M. (1984) Ecological survey of the Impenetrable forest,Uganda and recommendations for its conservation and management. New York: New York Zoological Society.
- Butynski, T.M. and J. Kalina (1993) ‘Three new Mountain National Parks for Uganda’, Oryx 27(4):214-224.
- Cunningham, A.B. (1996) People, park and plant use. Recommendations for multiple-use zones and development alternatives around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, People and Plants Working Paper 4. Paris: UNESCO.
- Cunningham, A.B., R.G. Wild, J. Mutebi and A. Tsekeli (1993) People and wild plant use. Kabale, Uganda: Report for CARE Development Through Conservation Project (DTC).
- Foley, G. and G. Bernard (1984) Farm and community forestry. London: Earthscan.
- Gonzalez, R.M. (1995) ‘KBS, GIS and documenting indigenous knowledge’, Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor 3(1).
- Howard, P.C. (1991) Nature conservation in Uganda’s tropical forest reserves. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN.
- Leggat, G.J. and H.A. Osmaston (1961) Working plan for the Impenetrable Central Forest Reserve, Kigezi District, Western Province, Uganda. Entebbe: Forest Department.
- Scott, P.J. (1992) Fringe benefits: minor forest product collection within buffer zones as a potential tool for conflict resolution in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Aas, Norway: MSc thesis, Department of Forest Sciences, Agricultural University of Norway (NLH).
- Taylor, D. (1990) ‘Late Quartenary pollen diagrams from two Ugandan mires: Evidence for environmental change in the Rukiga Highlands of south west Uganda’, Palaeoclimatology and Palaeoecology, 80:283-300.
- Taylor, D. and R. Marchant (1995) ‘Human impact in the interlacustrine region: Long-term pollen records from the Rukiga Highlands, Uganda’, Azania, 29-30:283-295.
- Wild, R.G. and J. Mutebi (1996) Conservation through use of plant resources. Establishing collaborative management at Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. People and Plants Working Paper 5. Paris: UNESCO.

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