Echuya Forest Reserve: Echuya Central Forest Reserve has 20 percent of its area situated in Bufumbira County in Kisoro District and the remaining 80 percent in Rubanda County in Rubanda District. The southern end runs along the north-eastern border of Rwanda. It covers an area of 34 km2, with an altitudinal range of 2,270 – 2,750 m asl. It is situated on a high-altitude ridge running between Lake Bunyonyi, 5 km to the east, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, 13 km to the south west. It is 11 km east of Kisoro Town. The main Kabale to Kisoro Road passes through the northern end.
Between 1935-1940, settlers from Kisoro who were cultivators arrived in the area in search of land. Echuya forest reserve was legally gazetted in 1951 with a total land area of 35 square km.
Late in 1955, the Department of Agriculture introduced growing pyrethrum on commercial basis. However, the local community did not embrace the scheme and the project collapsed.
At the same time the Forest Department introduced softwood species such as Pinus patula and Pinus carribea in the area.
The Echuya Forest Reserve is currently under utilised in spite of the fact that it is situated in an area, which is densely populated due to restrictions imposed by the District Forest Office (DFO) on access to the forest and number of licenses. Overgrown and dead bamboo are numerous in the forest.
Echuya Forest Reserve is located in one of the most populated areas and majority depend on farming. Its long-time existence has been largely depended on the support from its surrounding communities. This forest reserve occupies 35sq.kms of land area between Kisoro and Lake Bunyonyi. It is also the least explored reserves by visitors on Uganda safari thus guaranteeing you authentic wilderness experiences.
Due to the high stocking level of the bamboo and its fast rate of growth, a higher level of exploitation could be encouraged without compromising the forest sustainability. There is also a need to teach the local people how to make high quality bamboo products for both local and export markets in order to increase the commercial value of the forest.
Current plans include planting an area formally designated for research on barley with the pines. Hardwoods are rapidly colonising the forest and may eventually eliminate the bamboo. There is thus a need to asses the impact this situation would create on the forest conditions and the communities depending on the forest. The value of these hardwood species to the community needs to be established and management strategies developed for their exploitation.
Potential threat to the forest is from illegal cattle grazers and the Batwa set fires to promote the development of fresh pastures and warm themselves respectively.
There is a severe land shortage in the surrounding communities. All the land has been cleared for cultivation up to the boundary of the forest. As the population increases, agricultural encroachment on the forest becomes very inevitable.
Echuya Forest a Birding Destination
Echuya Forest is truly a birder’s paradise, but it remains the least explored birding sites in Uganda. Located in the far Southwestern Uganda, Echuya Central Forest Reserve is typical tropical rainforest reserve, and it occupies a compact area measuring up to about 35sq.kms.
A total of 152 species of birds were recorded for the whole forest of which 18 are Albertine Rift endemics. Other than the globally threatened Grauer’s warbler, other birds to expect to sight on birding tour in Echuya forest include the red throated alethe, collared apalis, mountain masked apalis, kivu ground thrush, red faced woodland warblers, dwarf honeyguide, archer’s robin chat, strange weavers, Doherty’s bush shrike, regal sunbird, Rwenzori batis, white eyed slaty flycatcher to mention but a few.
Because of the forest harboring a substantial number Albertine Rift endemics and globally threatened bird species, it has made the forest a biodiversity hotspot in terms of species rarity both nationally and within the Albertine Rift.
Other species that Echuya Forest Reserve protects include 53 butterfly species, 43 moth species, 127 tree species mainly dominated by moist montane forest, hagenia, bamboo and herbaceous plants which occupy areas with less bamboo and woody vegetation.
Birds of Echuya Forest
A total of about 152 bird species call Echuya Central Forest Reserve a home, and they include 18 Albertine Rift endemic species. The birds of interest while on birding tour in Echuya Forest Reserve include the endangered Grauer’s swamp warblers, Ruwenzori Batis, Archer’s robin-chat, Rwenzori turacos, Kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori nightjars, Handsome francolin, purple-breasted sunbird, Blue headed sunbird.
Where to stay at Echuya Forest Reserve, Uganda
Guests visiting Echuya Forest can consider spending a night at the nearby lodges/hotels at Lake Mutanda, Kisoro, Kabale, Rushaga region the Southern gorilla tracking region in Bwindi National Park or book any lodge around Lake Bunyonyi.
How to Get to Echuya Forest
If you are traveling from Kampala, Echuya forest reserve is reachable via the Kabale-Kisoro road. The drive from Kampala to Echuya forest reserve takes about 8hrs. However, the Echuya forest reserve is very close to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of the best destinations for gorilla trekking safaris in Africa. Lake Bunyonyi, one of the top tourist destinations in southwestern Uganda, is also in proximity to the Echuya forest reserve. The drive time between the Echuya forest reserve and Kigali, Rwanda, is approximately 4-5hrs.