Kapkwai forest is located in Kapchorwa District Eastern Uganda. It is a part of the Mount Elgon forest ecosystem. It is also part of Mt. Elgon National Park, located 10km Northwest of Kapchorwa Town. Ket-ankenge is one of the settlements around Kapkwai forest selected for the study.
Despite being a national park, Kapkwai forest is extensively used by the people living in the adjacent settlements as a source of fuelwood, bamboo poles, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, medicinal plants, vegetables, water, and salt licks for cattle and goats. The lack of good pasture, however, forced the settlers to shift from cattle keeping to cultivation. They cleared more forest for agriculture. Tabaswo (Croton macrostachys), Chebakwa (Neoboutonia macrocalyx) and Tobogmwo (Neoboutonia macrocalyx) are three species, which are important for the community for the provision of timber, firewood, medicine, rafters for house construction, and stakes for beans.
There are no woodlots and trees on the farms where alternative sources of forest products could be obtained. Due to the severe shortage of wood products, the park authorities changed the access rules and allowed local communities to harvest forest products (except timber) for subsistence use. If exploitation continues at the present rate, there is a danger that the tree species preferred for firewood will be over-harvested due to lack of alternative sources of biomass fuel.
In order to alleviate the acute shortage of forest produce and reduce dependence of the community on the national park, there is a need to increase tree cover in the nearby communities. FACE project has planted indigenous trees and the management of Mt.Elgon Forest is now being developed into a National Park. It is hoped that the enrichment plating being carried out by FACE project will address this problem.