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Gishwati-Mukura Landscape Biosphere Reserve, Rwanda

The Gishwati-Mukura Landscape is located in the Albertine Rift in the western part of Rwanda. This young national park is a global biodiversity hotspot, including a variety of endemic and endangered species. After decades of poorly managed land use, the country has been carrying out a major restoration effort, moving towards a socio-economic development based mostly in eco-tourism.

Designation date: 2020

Networks

Regional network:  AfriMAB

Ecosystem-based network: 

  

    Description

    Map

    Surface : 79,926 ha

    • Core area(s): 3,558 ha 
    • Buffer zone(s): 1,979 ha
    • Transition zone(s): 74,389 ha

    Location: 479000.000-444000.000

    Administrative Authorities

    Abel Musana
    Rwanda Development Board (RDB)
    Rwanda

    Tel.: +250 788632326

    Email: abel.musana@rdb.rw

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    Ecological Characteristics

    The Giswati Makura Landscape is critical in protecting biodiversity. The reserve is recognized for its two primate species: the Eastern Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthi) and the Golden monkey (Cercopithecus (mitis) kandti), which are endemic and endangered. Other species such as the Side-striped Jackal (Canis adustus), a variety of bats, and small mammals claim this forest as their home. The vegetation on the reserve includes three species of bryophytes (Porella abyssinica, Leptoscyphus expansus and Cololejeunea parva) that occur exclusively in the Giswati Forest.

     

     

     

    Socio-Economic Characteristics

    The reserve has a population of approximately of 337,782 people in local communities. The main economic activities include agriculture through sustainable land management activities, silvopastoralism, agroforestry and tourism. 10% of all revenue generated with tourism in the National Park in the Biosphere Reserve's core area is allocated to community development projects. Several projects within the park include the Landscape Approach to Forest Restoration and Conservation (LAFREC), which is dedicated to research and monitoring programmes in the area as well as forest restoration.  

     

     

     

     

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    Last updated: November 2020