Echuya Forest Reserve (7042)
Uganda, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Echuya Forest Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: -1.2700, Longitude: 29.8200
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 2270 to 2570
Area of KBA (km2): 35.78149
Protected area coverage (%): 91.54
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site is mostly montane forest and namboo (the 3,400 ha Echuya Forest Reserve) , but includes a permanent high-altitude swamp (Muchuya) at 2,300 m, about 7 km long by up to 750 m wide, in a narrow valley surrounded by steep forested hillsides. The swamp vegetation is dominated by sedges Carex and includes tussock vegetation and giant lobelias. The swamp drains north-west into the Murindi river. The reserve is dominated by Hagenia-Rapanea moist montane forest and montane bamboo Arundinaria. It ranges from 2270-2750 m altitude above sea level. Echuya may not be as diverse overall as other Ugandan forests, but in terms of the conservation value of the species represented (based on their worldwide distributions and occurrence in Ugandan forests), Echuya is ranked among the top 10% of the 65 sites visited by the Forest Biodiversity Inventory Team. Densely populated agricultural land surrounds the Forest Reserve, although agricultural encroachment appears not to be significant. However, the reserve is used as the main source of bamboo for building and crafts by the local communities. Batwa have traditionally lived in the forest and continue to earn their living from various forms of resource extraction.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a global KBA for the narrow-headed shrew (Crocidura stenocephala).
Manageability of the site: The site is managed by the National Forest Authority as a Central Forest Reserve.
Supersedes another site: Boundary submitted is the officially recognised boundary for the site by the Government of Uganda and differs slightly from the existing shapefile
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 by the National Forest Authority primarily for biodiversity conservation and some community access is allowed to harvest bamboo.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 38 | |
| Forest | 61 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |