How Reformed Poachers and Mauritius Thorn are Transforming Bwindi’s Park Edge Communities – The Kampala Report

In Uganda’s park edge communities, reformed poachers, Mauritius thorn and tea hedges are not only promoting peace between humans and gorillas, but they are also bringing in cash.

After hours of traversing the hilly terrain, we finally arrive at Nkurigo village, kisoro district. The air smells of fresh soil, huge flowers bloom through the bushes and the echo of laughing of women is heard from the top of the hills.

Nkuringo is one among many villages at the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable park, the reigning home of the world’s famous mountain gorilla (beringei beringei).

Byamugisha William and his wife Marinette Juliet, along with their six children are among the many families thriving in one of the edge park villages in lubuguri Sub County, Nombe ward, where they survive on farming as a source of livelihood.

 The magical thorns.

They own land close to the buffer zone and for years have had challenges with the gorillas, baboons and bush pigs that eat their crops, until recently when the government planted the mauritius thorn hedge.

‘’The Mauritius thorn (omukwata’ngwe) plant is not native to this land. The government, through the conservation projects, introduced it to us, and it has been helping us protect our gardens. 

When we plant it, it forms a very thick hedge that you can’t easily go through. That’s why they call it omukwata’ngwe loosely translated as the leopard catcher,’’ Marinette Juliet says.

According to research by Dr. Robert Bitariho on human wildlife conflict management in the greater Bwindi, the mauritius thorn hedge is an effective method for security.

 The research reveals that Mauritius thorn (Ceasalpanea decapitata) hedges are used as a “live fence” to deter baboons, bush pigs, gorillas, bush pigs and elephants.

Dickson Katana the in charge warden for the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable park comprising three town councils nyanamo, Rubuguri and Nkuringo, agrees to the effectiveness of Mauritius thorn hedge as a peacekeeper for the community and the gorillas.

‘’It works well, where it has grown thick, and germinated well the animals cannot go through. Even in Queen Elizabeth, it has been effective. Katana says

In Uganda, the National Environment Management Policy emphasises local community participation in the management of protected areas as a strategy for conservation.

Katana reveals they engage reformed poachers to maintain the mauritius thorn hedge.

‘’We have reformed poachers, those who were formally hunting, and they changed. We engage them in maintaining because if you don’t, it will not come up well.

Research describes the Mauritius thorn scientific name (Caesalpinia decapetala) as a thorny, woody shrub with bipinnate leaves and clusters of pale yellow flowers. Despite its name, the Mauritius thorn is not indigenous to Mauritius. Its exact place of origin remains unknown, but scientists believe it has potential medicinal purposes.

Dr. Aventino Kasangaki , an ecologist and conservation biologist, attributes the success of the shrub to its thorny branches which scare the animals.

Although the people are praising the shrub for its goodness, it has its disadvantages.

Penninah Mushabe, a mother of five living in nkuringo, whose husband has been spending nights on the farm, said that the evergreen shrub is mostly effective in its infant stages.

 ‘’The Mauritius thorn ”omukwata’ngwe” is mostly effective in its early stages. As it grows upwards, the gorillas and bush pigs can go through. However, we can’t dismiss its value, she says.

She further appreciates the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, for giving them seeds and gloves to help them grow the hedges.

A new era of peace.

Along with the mind-set change education under the Vanishing treasures project by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the community of Nkuringo has adjusted to better farming methods, planning, education, saving and protection of the gorillas.

For the past years the problem of wild animals such as gorillas, baboons and bush pigs occasionally coming out of the forest, and into human settlements and farms, has been the outstanding issue around Bwindi Impenetrable national park, and the government has been trying to find integrated conservation methods that benefit both the community and protect the animals.

Co-management as a sustainable practise is what they are using through planting tea in the buffer zones. This works by involving local communities and other stakeholders in protected area planning and management. 

‘’They are ours. We must protect them, Peninnah Mushabe says.

To maximise conservation, Katana says that tea planting is another intervention they have adopted that not only aids in conservation but also in poverty alleviation.

‘’We have the outer and inner buffer zone. The buffer zone stretches for a length of 12km and 350m width. The outer buffer zone is 200m, where we planted trees. There was a tripartite agreement between Uganda wildlife authorities (UWA), Nkuringo conservation development foundation and Kigezi tea highland company, to plant tea, because it is not palatable to the gorillas, but the true aspect is that tea is a livelihood crop”, Katana adds.

‘’We harvest tea leaves in the buffer zone plantations owned by the government for money, 500kgs bag will get you UGX 10,000 (2.68 USD) working from 7.00am to 3:00 pm. With this money we can buy books for the children, other times we as women take porter jobs to dig for the rich as an extra source of income, Juliet says.

The Human and Gorilla conflict resolution team (HUGO) are among several initiatives promoting co-existence between humans and gorillas in Bwindi. Known as the gorilla guardians, these volunteers take pride in guiding stray gorillas back to their home.

Growing concerns.

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south-western Uganda is inhabited by over 459 gorillas, making up half of all the mountain gorillas in the world. And the human population around the park is growing rapidly.

 ‘’When you’re living with neighbours, you must live in harmony. We protect the gorillas but we cannot get what to eat. Penninah expresses concern.

She expresses feelings of concern why authorities and visitors who come to their village care more about the gorillas yet the residents have more to give such as culture and their unique language ‘’orukimbiri’’, a mixture of rukiga, ‘’Rutwa’’ and ‘’kifumbira’’.

‘’Organisations and people take more interest in the gorillas more than us. When the gorillas destroy our crops, no one helps us but when community members attack one gorilla, authorities come after us, there should be a balance,” she says.

Whereas Penninah ponders about the obsession of the visitors with the gorillas, Juliet is worried about the climate changes.

‘’When it rains a lot, our plants die. When it shines more, the harvest is very poor. I wish we could have a balance of seasons, for example, two weeks of rain and three of sunshine, so that we are to harvest more and sell, because this is how we get school fees.

Water Security cementing community togetherness.

Residents of Nombe ward, in Rubuguri town council, now access water without having to travel miles to the park.

The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) under the Vanishing Treasures project has installed a community water tank which supplies over 75 households; this has solved many issues such as human-animal conflicts.

‘’Previously two women interfaced wild pigs and one lost a hand, another pregnant woman fell down as she went to fetch water in the park, this water tank has now made life easy and has helped our community revive togetherness as many of us commune here to share ideas’’, Enock Rwerekana the village chairperson said

Some families have been pro-active enough to leverage the knowledge and construct their own water tanks to improve household water security. Byamugisha William and his wife Marinette are great ambassadors for the many initiatives by IGCP, including growing food organically to enhance nutrition and food security.

‘’Water is life, this water tank has not only improved the quality of life for us, but has reduced the need for residents in park edge communities from encroaching on gorilla habitats to access to water, now we both co-exist with each other.” Enock concludes.