Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve (23547)
Uganda, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1c, A1e, B1
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: -0.2700, Longitude: 30.2400
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 975 to 2136
Protected area coverage (%): 98.52
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve is located in Western Uganda, covers an area of 392 km2 and situated South of Lake George and Kazinga channel in the Albertine Rift eco-region, characterized by a high number of endemic species (NFA, 1999, Franks, 2003). The core landscape surrounding the primary conservation area of Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve covers approximately 870 km2. Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve is one of Uganda’s few remaining medium altitude moist forests. It was designated as a forest reserve in 1932 covering Kasyoha (77 km2) and Kitomi (90 km2) and regazzeted later as Kasyoha Kitomi Forest Reserve in 1948. Later, the Lubare ridge in the South and Kakasi in the North, were added to the Reserve in 1996 and 1997 respectively. The first management plan was written in 1957. The forest management is under the jurisdiction of the Districts of Bushenyi, Ibanda and Kamwengye. The forest borders Kanyambogo to the North, Kalinzu / Maramagambo Forest Reserves to the South-east, Kyamuhanga tea estate/Bitoma and Ndangaro parishes to the South, Rwanjere to the East and Kyambura Wildlife Reserve and Queen Elizabeth National Park to the west. The area covering Mwongyera and Butoma parishes acts as a biodiversity corridor connecting the Wildlife Reserve and the National Park with the Forest. There are exoduses of animals from the Park to the Forest and vice versa. Kasyoha-Kitomi provides ecological services for Lake George which has the most productive fishery in the country. The altitude ranges from 975 – 2136 m above sea level. The rainfall is bimodal with quantity of 1250 – 1400mm per year (Raben et al., 2007). It has a minimum temperature ranges of 13 – 15oC and maximum temperatures range between 25 – 26oC. The vegetation of Kasyoha-Kitomi has been described by Langdale-Brown et al. (1964) and classed into Parinari forest described as medium altitude moist-evergreen forest (Kasyoha); Albizia-Markhamia forest described as medium altitude moist-semi deciduous forest (Kitomi and Kakasi); Forest/Savanna mosaic at high altitude (Lubare ridge and South-west of Kasyoha) and, post-cultivation Hyparrhenia-Pteridium community (Southern part of Kasyoha). The major Forest types as described by Langdale-Brown et al. (1964) are therefore medium altitude, moist evergreen and medium altitude moist semi-deciduous Forest; with grasslands.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site meets global KBA status based on three species of tree, Diospyros katendei, Uvariodendron magnificum, and Ficus katendei as well as the population of chimpanzees found in the forest. This is the only forest Diospyros katendei is known from in the World and as the species is listed as CR on the IUCN Red List this makes the site an AZE site.
Additional biodiversity: The site contains grey parrots which don't trigger KBA status but are listed as an IBA trigger species. It is known to contain 964 species of plant of which 376 are trees, 276 bird species, 237 butterfly species, 25 mammals, and 37 moths.
Manageability of the site: The site has been managed by the National Forest Authority as a Central Forest Reserve since the 1930s.
Supersedes another site: Revising boundary to provide correct shapefile for Forest Reserve which is used by the Uganda government.
Other site values: No
Delineation rationale: The boundary of the site follows the legally gazetted boundary of the Central Forest Reserve as recognised by the government of Uganda
Habitats
Land use: It is managed as a forest reserve primarily for biodiversity conservation and tourism although in the past it has been exploited for timber
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |