Information and lessons sharing Workshop ITFC and partners

 Jopfan hotel Kabale, 17 and 18 November

We thank all the participants of the above workshop for their active participation! It has been a pleasure sharing experiences and thoughts with you all and we hope to stay in touch.

1. List of participants

2. Summary of questions and answers following presentations

3. Summary of group discussion on monitoring

4. Summary of group discussion on research priorities

5. Results from the questionnaire

6. Some photographs taken during the workshop

Please let us know if you have any corrections or comments.

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WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

17 November 2008; Morning session

                      8.15 - 9.00       Registration at Jopfan Country Hotel

        9.00        Opening and welcome by the Chief Warden of Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area, Mr. Asa Kule

        9.15        Brief presentation on ITFC and the purpose of the workshop

        9.30        Sharing lessons learned (session 1) presentations, followed by discussion

·         Robert Bitariho: Rapid assessment of plants for local community use in the AR forests

·         Robert Kajobe: Stingless bees; management implication of the utilization of wild honey by Batwa in BINP

·         Andrew Ocama: Density and abundance of the understory avifauna of Ruhija

·         John Bosco Nuwe:  The economics of protected areas in Uganda: costs and benefits of managing BINP

      11.00        Coffee/tea break 

      11.30        Sharing lessons learned (session 2) presentations, followed by discussion

·         Edward Andama: Status of Human-Wildlife conflict and its management in Nkuringo buffer zone

·         Alex Tumukunde: Expectations and attitudes of communities towards tourism around BINP

·         Kathy Fawcett and Felix Ndagijimana: Karisoke Research Centre; an overview 

      13.00        Lunch

17 November 2008; Afternoon session 

      14.00        Ongoing monitoring activities; strength and weaknesses. Presentations followed by discussion

·         Alastair McNeilage: Overview of ITFC’s long term monitoring 

·         Robert Bitariho: weather, water and swamp monitoring in the AR Uganda

·         Augustine Basabose: Ranger Based Monitoring in Virunga-Bwindi landscape; Strengths and Weaknesses  

      15.15        Coffee/tea break 

      15.45        Usefulness of research and monitoring information.

Introduction to the discussion by Aggrey Rwetsiba

Group discussions around the following questions: 

·         What determines the usefulness of research and monitoring activities?

·         What appear to be the challenges of monitoring for adaptive management?

·         How can these be addressed?   

    17.00          Plenary: presentation by groups 

    17.30          Closure of Day 1                             

    19.00          Supper at Jopfan

18 November 2008; Morning session 

                                8.30        Welcome. Purpose and overview of Day 2

        8.45        Ongoing and planned research. Presentations followed by discussion

·         Martha Robbins: Bwindi gorillas:  how many are there, how fast can they grow, and what can we do to help?

·         Damian Caillaud: Assessment of the future demography of the Bwindi gorilla population

·         Gerald Eilu: Invasive species; how can we monitor their invasion and should interventions take place?

·         Julius Lejju/May Murungi: Environmental history of the central African Region

·         David Tumusiime: proposed PhD research in the context of PAPIA (Protected Areas and Poverty in Africa) project

11.00        Coffee/tea break 

·         Samuel Besigye: Linking research to policy: What should CSOs focus attention on? How can they be effective?

·         Yves Gakunde: Capacity building programme at the National University of Rwanda

·         Maxime Nzita Nganga: Progress on the Transboundary Core Secretariat implementation

      11.30        Emerging opportunities for conservation. Presentations  

·         Gerald Kairu: Carbon and other Payments for Environmental Services; alternative sources of finance for conservation. Includes a presentation on PES prepared by Alice Ruhweza

·         Glen Bush: Costs, benefits and equity in biodiversity conservation

Plenary discussion: where are realistic opportunities for funding conservation research?

      12.45        Lunch

18 November 2008; Afternoon session 

      13.45        Setting priorities for future research, based on threats, gaps identified, and emerging opportunities. 

      15.30        Coffee/tea with plenary presentation of priorities 

      16.00        Closure of the workshop by Dr. Simon Anguma (MUST)