Citizen scientists protecting Bwindi through birdwatching

Today, we journey into the misty forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a global biodiversity hotspot that is home to 10 of Uganda's 26 globally threatened bird species. But this is more than a story about rare birds. It's about young people transforming their lives through birdwatching, becoming citizen scientists, protecting one of Africa's most treasured forests, and proving that conservation can create opportunity.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Hello and welcome to the New Vision Daily podcast around Uganda with me, Razia Atman. Today you will hear about the citizen scientists who are protecting wind impenetrable forest through birdwatching.

SPEAKER_04 0:21

Welcome to the New Vision Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Let us head to Kisoro, southwestern Uganda, the district in the foothills of Mufumbiro Mountains. The journey from Kisoro town to Nkuringo is an adventure in itself. We wind through steep scenic hills overlooking Lake Mutanda, with the Virunga volcanoes rising in the distance. As the road climbs higher towards wind impenetrable forest, villages give way to dense rainforest. After about two hours on the rugged mountain road, we arrive in Kuringo, where we meet Nesta Kabashenga, whose story reflects how conservation is transforming lives.

SPEAKER_08 1:13

I worked with Kuningo Bind Gua Roach as a chef. At times they changed me to our housekeeper in service. So from there is when I got married. That was 2016. From there I picked up.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

He joined the hospitality industry in 2016 and over the years also worked as a housekeeper. But his fortunes changed when he was introduced to birding two years ago. Married with two children, he has just discovered the world he was born into.

SPEAKER_08 2:00

Because people are like now changing. Because now the kids are now getting school, including my kids. So even is happy because of BMCT.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

His favorite bird is the bad-tailed trogon, a much sought-after bird in the Albertine Reef and frequently sighted in Windi.

SPEAKER_08 2:18

It's shy. You can't find tea. It's the only phone in a national park where there is much shed. Then as you look at a tear, you have got a buzz buzz. Buzz. And the beak is red, then the throat is green.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

As a chef, Kabashenga earned a mega monthly salary, but as a bird watcher, the number of tourists he guides determines how much he earns, and that can go up to a hundred dollars on a good day. Like Kabashenga, several other young men have found meaningful work in birdwatching. Beyond the thrill, they also track bird species to understand the health of their ecosystems in and around Buindim penetrable forests. Equipped with binoculars, notebooks, laser pointers, and mobile apps provided by Buindimugahinga Conservation Trust, they came together to form the Nkuringo Birders Association, which has mobilized idle youth to take up bird watching.

SPEAKER_06 3:33

They have also picked up, especially being smart, because in Ibadan we teach how to be smart.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Pascal Francis is the chairperson of the association. Francis failed to attain higher education because he lacked tuition fees. He tried teaching and farming, but things were not easy. In just two years, the association has brought together a hundred people and counting.

SPEAKER_06 4:01

It has taught me how to serve first because it is seasonal. And uh I have also both learned from birding, bird watching, and I've also taught other young guys how to live and uh how to like conservation.

SPEAKER_08 4:21

One of the three.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

The trust's aim of the birding program was to promote community livelihood projects around the parks so dwellers can have alternatives to the protected areas.

SPEAKER_05 4:40

When we train these youth, we think they can now uh diversify the earning mechanism. Apart from agriculture, apart from maybe doing uh cutting of timber, because many people here in this landscape are used to cutting timber. And yet, timber is more or less against conservation. But we think if we train them in different trades like budding, craft making, beekeeping, and other nature-based enterprises, ecotourism, then they can tap from this opportunity when tourists come and visit the same organ, the same landscape.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

It's 4 p.m. and we continue our trek in the slippery pocket forest by wind impenetrable. From the soft and sensitive instructions and the patients needed, you can tell it has taken time to master the skill. They received training in Lekumburo and were given five pointers, five binoculars, and ten boarding books to start.

SPEAKER_06 5:53

So a binocular is about uh five six hundred dollars. So, like a young man like me or other person who is born poor in this area, it's hard for me to buy binocular unless you get it from your friends.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

Windi hosts more than 350 bird species, including 23 Albertine reefed endemics. The southern part of the forest where we find these birds has over 250 bird species. Most of the 20 or so youth with us this afternoon would be in bars drinking time away. But now they are called citizen scientists, trained to observe and record bird species contributing valuable data to conservation efforts. Amus Chemongus is the senior warden in charge, southern sector Buindan Penetrable National Park.

SPEAKER_03 6:52

If we don't make uh use of these vibrant energies, the energies will be diverted to non-productive activities like poaching, like uh say encroachment and what have you.

SPEAKER_01 7:08

Uganda Wildlife Authority has borders but gives opportunity to emerging borders, but the park's rules and regulations apply. Once they master the activity, they are also paid. A birding permit costs 160,000 shillings for foreign non-residents, 120,000 shillings for foreign residents, and 30,000 shillings for East African citizens.

SPEAKER_03 7:35

Ugh, level authority will take their part, but them who are doing birding as uh young boys uh will also be paid some money. And there are so many birds that come out of the forest and come to the community, so they can also utilize that opportunity. When birds come out of the forest, they will also do uh birding outside in the natural park.

SPEAKER_01 7:59

Just by the park are several privately owned forests where the boarders practice their craft. Grace Akampore and her husband have conserved these three-acre forests.

SPEAKER_02 8:13

Yes, the education for the younger generation. Um, another thing was we have there different species of trees and plants, where we thought that some members of the community can have a plan and know about those trees and species. We have someone here.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Beyond just a source of income or hobby, community members are turning to birdwatching as a tool to monitor environmental change.

SPEAKER_05 8:49

Given that we work with the people who are living adjacent to the protected area, these the animals come from their area to people's uh area, especially in gardens, and so we have to work on interventions together with Uganda Warrior facility to manage these animals which crossed people's land so that people can live harmoniously with these important uh wildlife uh species.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

As imposing as it may be, Buindi's forest cover has been reduced. Experts are worried because many of the bird species found here are endemic to the Albertine Reft, making them especially vulnerable to habitat loss. They can't just relocate.

SPEAKER_04 9:47

And above all, protect our environment, protect our natural resources like those birds you're talking about. I wouldn't clearly see this bird.

SPEAKER_07 9:57

Birding is a spirit.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

25-year-old Nkurununji Dismas was born in Nkuringo. He has studied tour guiding and driving. He's a founding member of the Nkuringo Bowders Association.

SPEAKER_07 10:10

Sometimes we encourage people uh to join birding after joining birding. Some reject, they say they can't afford joining it because it's a bit hectic. But when you are studying birding, the first first of all we need to be patient.

SPEAKER_01 10:28

In areas facing deforestation and climate pressure, these citizen scientists are documenting disappearing species, shifting migration patterns, and changes in forest health. For many participants, this work is also creating new income streams through ecotourism and conservation partnerships.

SPEAKER_00 10:50

We have here the ecological biodiversity facility.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

Bridget Nyamugesha is a conservation student at Uganda Wildlife Research and Training College, Kasese.

SPEAKER_00 11:00

Well, as you've seen, the bird, animal, and plant species, we have a variety of them. And we've always liked it because it helps us in the ecosystem with the people and the animals around.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Conservation groups like Bird Life International warn that nearly half of the world's bird species are in decline. In Uganda, Bwindimugahinga Conservation Trust is training communities to collect data that feeds into national conservation efforts. The organization was established under trust laws in 1994. Mkuringo in Kisoro is rich in natural resources, yet many people remain poor. The hope is that from birding, other tourism activities can be harnessed into conservation, development, and business. As birders like Kabashenga earn a living from bird watching and raise their families, all eyes are on the community of citizen scientists to protect one of Uganda's treasured forests. And that's it for the New Vision Daily podcast around Uganda with me, Rosia Uthman. Thanks for listening.