KIRYANDONGO — The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has engaged wildlife scouts around Karuma Wildlife Reserve in a capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening community participation in conservation and improving peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife.
The engagement, held at Diima Subcounty Headquarters in Kiryandongo District, brought together wildlife scouts from communities surrounding Karuma Wildlife Reserve, including Karuma Town Council, Diima, Nyamahasa, Kyankende, Kikyabugingo and Kigumba subcounties.
Local leaders, including Diima Subcounty LC3 Chairperson Charles Owengom, also participated in the engagement, which focused on equipping community conservation actors with knowledge and skills to support wildlife protection initiatives.
The UWA team was led by the Assistant Commissioner for Conservation Education and Awareness, Vanice Mirembe, who challenged the scouts to move beyond responding to wildlife incidents and take on a broader role as conservation ambassadors within their communities.
“You are conservation ambassadors to your communities. Your role is more than chasing elephants,” Mirembe said.
She urged the scouts to actively engage communities in fighting illegal wildlife activities, including poaching and snaring, while promoting awareness about the importance of protecting Uganda’s wildlife.
UWA said wildlife scouts play a critical role in community-based conservation because of their close connection with local communities. Their position enables them to share conservation messages, identify emerging challenges and encourage peaceful coexistence between communities and wildlife.
During the engagement, the scouts shared challenges they encounter while supporting conservation activities at community level. The discussions provided an opportunity for UWA to understand the realities faced by local conservation actors and explore ways of improving their effectiveness.
The capacity-building programme will continue in other parts of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area before extending to the Kibale Conservation Area and Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area.
The engagements are supported by the Integrated Forest and Protected Area Conservation (IFPA-CD) Project and form part of UWA’s efforts to strengthen community involvement in wildlife conservation.
UWA said empowering local communities and equipping scouts with conservation knowledge is essential in transforming community participation into practical conservation action and ensuring the protection of Uganda’s wildlife for future generations.
Kapchorwa Leaders Benchmark Conservation Practices at Kibale Conservation Area
Meanwhile, UWA has hosted leaders from Kapchorwa District for a benchmarking visit to the Kibale Conservation Area aimed at sharing conservation best practices and strengthening community coexistence with wildlife around protected areas.
The visit began with a briefing from the Chief Warden of Kibale Conservation Area, who highlighted the area’s biodiversity, tourism potential, conservation achievements and community-based approaches that have contributed to improved wildlife management.
The delegation visited communities in Bigodi, Kinyantale and Kanyanju, where they interacted with residents involved in conservation initiatives, explored ecotourism enterprises and observed wildlife mitigation measures designed to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
UWA said the visit will provide Kapchorwa leaders with practical lessons that can be adapted to strengthen community participation in conservation around Mount Elgon National Park and promote harmonious coexistence between communities and wildlife.