Albertine Rift Program

WCS in the Albertine Rift
The Albertine Rift is one of the most important locations for the conservation of mammals, birds, and freshwater fish in Africa. This region, running from the northern end of Lake Albert to the southern end of Lake Tanganyika, and encompassing the land on either side of the western rift valley, is home to many species that occur only here. These include the mountain gorilla, mountain monkey, golden monkey, and 42 species of birds as well as many reptiles, amphibians and fish. The Albertine Rift straddles several countries:  Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania.

The Human Aspect
The mountains and forests in this region are important watersheds for the supply of regular and clean water to both surrounding and distant communities. The lakes in the Albertine Rift are some of the most productive in Africa. The region is also a key attraction for ecotourists. Maintaining the integrity of this landscape will both conserve a large percentage of Africa's biodiversity and contribute to the national and local economies of these countries.

Threats
Human population density around the Albertine Rift is one of the highest in Africa, creating huge pressures on the forests and savannas in this region. High human population pressure leads to small farm sizes and a subsequent demand for land and food.  Recent civil wars in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the genocide in Rwanda, have also  made it difficult for the protected area authorities to manage the parks and reserves in this region.

WCS Activities
The goal of WCS's Albertine Rift Program is to improve conservation in this biologically rich region by focusing on providing information for managers of protected areas, building capacity to better manage these areas, and encouraging collaboration across national boundaries. Biological surveys are being completed in order to identify the priority areas for conservation, and socioeconomic surveys will be used to help better plan measures to alleviate poverty in the communities that border these important protected areas. A national action plan is being produced for chimpanzees in Uganda, and a regional action plan for an endangered endemic bird, Grauer's rush warbler, is being implemented in collaboration with Nature Uganda (a national NGO) and The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, UK)

Using the latest satellite imagery and analysis techniques, we are assessing the rate of forest loss in the Albertine Rift in collaboration with the University of Maryland. These analyses highlight the areas that are most threatened by habitat destruction.

WCS is developing and implementing training programs with its partners who manage the protected areas - Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Forest Department, Office Rwandais de Tourisme et Parcs Nationaux, Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, and Tanzania National Parks - to improve the monitoring and research capacity of these institutions so that they will be better able to adapt their management to the changing threats to parks and reserves.

Important Next Steps
WCS is targeting those areas identified as having the greatest threats or needs. In the future WCS will:

• Continue to develop a program of cross-border collaboration among Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC.
• Develop a training program for wardens to establish better management in Uganda.
  Conduct surveys on the impacts of the war in Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC.
• Continue to monitor the biodiversity in the region and use remote-sensing to investigate changes in habitat on a large scale