Status of ecotourism in Mpanga Forest Reserve and the role of local communities

Abstract

This study was conducted in Mpanga forest, Mpigi district, 37 kilometers approximately from Kampala. Mpanga forest used to just be a small patch of natural rainforest that was protected by the Government of Uganda as a scientific research site since 1953. This study investigated the status of ecotourism and community participation since ecotourism is incomplete without local people. The study explored ecotourism facilities, attractions and activities in the forest, roles of local communities in ecotourism management and finally, the study examines local people‟s views about forest conservation and ecotourism. A qualitative mode of inquiry is used to collect data that informs this research. Data were collected using formal interviews, informal interviews, observations, and Questionnaire responses were edited, coded and entered in SPSS computer software to create data file and later generate a statistical summary of results that have been presented in Chapter Four. Findings reveal that local people are involved in participation but majorly in conservation of the forest and not in ecotourism claiming that it‟s only those employed in the forest who benefit from the ecotourism benefits. findings also revealed that communities close to the ecotourism site are more active towards participation and ecotourism at large. It further reveals that, residents‟ benefit from their forest despite the challenges they face. Through observation and interviews, the findings reveal further that ecotourism is still prevailing but started declining when management was vested into the private investor whose relationship with the residents is poor which makes residents to have negative comments about the site. However, much residents are participating, they still demand more than the level at which they are being involved. Generally, the findings revealed that ecotourism is still ongoing and people are participating but on decline compared on how it was and therefore, if it is well managed with maximum cooperation from the residents through involving them in decision making, taking in their needs and projects that elevate their standards of living, ecotourism will regain its good position and conflicts minimized hence stability in conservation of the forest