Echuya Forest Reserve lies in the South West corner of Uganda in the districts of Kabale and Kisoro. Between 1935-1940, settlers from Kisoro who were cultivators arrived in the area in search of land and the forest legally gazetted in 1951. However, the population has since greatly increased and land pressure forced the residents of the surrounding settlements to cultivate right up to the reserve boundary.
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 density 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.
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 assess 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.
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 34sq.kms.
Echuya Forest lies between an intersection of Kisoro and Rubanda districts, Southwestern Uganda. It is recognized by Birdlife International as one of the Important Birding Areas (IBAs). This lush rainforest sits on an altitude of about 2270 and 2570m, and it is bordered by protected areas like Mgahinga Gorilla National Park 13kms, Lake Bunyonyi 5kms. From Kabale town, 15kms and starting from Kisoro district, about 11kms.
Echuya Forest Reserve is found at Albertine rift eco-region, a region renowned for its biodiversity. 80% of Echuya Forest consists of Kilimandscharia and Hagenia Abyssinica Forest, 20% of it is comprised of mountain bamboo Yushania alpina. This forest is found in one of the densely populated areas and most of the local residents depend on it for firewood, medicinal plants and bamboo for building.
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.
Birding in Echuya Forest
Dozens of bird species all await you to spot on birding tour in Echuya Forest Reserve, and these total up to about 152 species. The birds to interest you at Echuya Forest include collared apalis, Archer’s robin chat, red throated alethe, dwarf honeyguide, Rwenzori batis, red faced woodland warblers, Kivu ground thrush, white eyed slaty flycatchers, Doherty’s bush-shrike, stripe breasted tit, mountain masked apalis, regal sunbird, strange weavers, turacos, nightjars, warblers and more.
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.
Getting to Echuya Forest
From Kampala to Echuya Forest Reserve takes about 8 hours’ drive, and it is accessible along Kabale-Kisoro route. It is also possible to connect from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda’s leading gorilla trekking destination to Echuya Forest since they are located near each other. From Kigali, you can spend 4 to 5 hours driving, and this includes border crossing from Katuna or Chanika border to Uganda.