Bururi Forest Nature Reserve (6037)
Burundi, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Bururi Forest Nature Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: -3.9370, Longitude: 29.5970
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1900 to 2307
Area of KBA (km2): 15.24637
Protected area coverage (%): 92.64
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Bururi Forest is situated on the extreme southern edge of the Congo–Nile divide and is a small patch of forest lying immediately west of the town of Bururi in south-western Burundi. Although the reserve is 3,300 ha, the remaining semi-evergreen forest covers only some 1,600 ha. At least 93 tree species occur, with Strombosia and Myrianthus spp. dominant and Tabernaemontana, Newtonia and Entandrophragma spp. also common. The area is situated at a biogeographic crossroads such that, in addition to holding many plant and animal species of the montane forests of the Congo–Nile divide, it contains elements associated with the Zambezian region to the south, the drier savanna areas of the east and even the lowland evergreen forests of DR Congo. Annual rainfall varies from 1,200 mm to 2,400 mm.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the process of compiling the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the East Afromontane Hotspot. Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2010-4.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. A total of 87 bird species have been recorded, including Apalis argentea, common in some parts. Bururi is also the type-locality for Alethe poliocephala vandeweghei. In addition, two species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome, one of the Lake Victoria Basin biome and one of the Zambezian biome have been recorded (see Table 3). Non-bird biodiversity: There is a population of some 30 Pan troglodytes (EN).
Delineation rationale: 2011-12-06 (BL Secretariat): site extent reduced from 3300 ha to 1500 ha, based on refined GIS polygon (rounded to nearest 10%), as part of CEPF East Afromontane Ecosystem Profiling process.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 42 | |
| Forest | 57 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Threats include demands for agricultural land and hunting of bush-meat.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Debonnet (1991), Wilson (1990).