Located in the southwestern part of Uganda, Mgahinga gorilla national park is one of the ten national parks in the country and also one of the only 3 primate destinations. The park is known for protecting the endangered mountain gorillas and the shy playful golden monkeys. For one to enjoy a special time with all these species, he or she has to secure a trekking permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a licensed tour operator. A gorilla permit in the park is at US$800 per person and then a golden monkey tracking permit at USD 100 per person. These costs include the park entrance fees and ranger guides that accompany you through the tracking journey. Besides the park entrance fees and ranger guides, the permit costs are used in other different ways including revenue sharing.
In Mgahinga gorilla national park, revenue sharing is a key part of the community conservation model implemented by the Ugandan government and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). The main goal of this program is to ensure that local communities living near protected areas benefit directly from tourism activities, particularly gorilla tourism, which is a major source of revenue for the park.
What is involved in revenue sharing in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
20% Community Revenue Share
Nelson Guma, the chief warden of the Bwindi-Mgahinga conservation area in western Uganda says that under Uganda’s wildlife conservation policy, 20% of the park entrance fees collected from tourism activities are allocated to the local communities living around the park. This is aimed at improving livelihoods and encouraging community support for conservation efforts. These funds are used for various development projects like schools, health centers, water supply systems, and infrastructure improvements.
Community Development Projects
The revenue 20% shared with the local communities is typically invested in projects that benefit them directly and these include;
-
- Building schools and providing educational support.
- Constructing health facilities or improving existing ones.
- Providing clean water through boreholes and water tanks.
- Infrastructure development, such as roads or bridges.
- Sustainable agriculture projects to improve food security and income.
Preventing animal and human conflicts
Nelson Guma says that sometimes animals like mountain gorillas, buffalos, and elephants come of the parks and the locals voluntarily push them back and advice other community members not to hurt them. For that case, some of the revenue is also directed towards mitigating human-wildlife conflicts. This includes the building of barriers or trenches to prevent animals from straying into farmlands, compensation for damages caused by wildlife like gorillas or elephants, and also buying gumboots and raincoats for locals to enable them to conserve wildlife easily.
Involvement in Conservation
By sharing revenue, local communities are incentivized to participate in conservation efforts and view wildlife as a valuable resource rather than a threat. This creates a positive relationship between the park and the people living nearby, helping reduce poaching or illegal land use.
Overall, the revenue-sharing initiative in Mgahinga helps build a strong relationship between conservation efforts and local community welfare.