Nyungwe National Park

Brief synthesis Nyungwe National Park is one of the most biologically important and diverse Afromontane forests in Africa. Located in south-western Rwanda, the property constitutes part of the highly biodiverse Albertine Rift Ecoregion and comprises three component parts: Cyamudongo Natural Forest, Gisakura Natural Forest, and Nyungwe Natural Forest. Covering a total of 101,963.67 hectares, Nyungwe National Park is the largest remaining montane rainforest nationally and one of the largest areas of montane forest in this exceptionally rich ecoregion. The property is dominated by montane rainforest but includes a range of vegetation types and habitats, including high-altitude wetlands and savanna grasslands, with an altitude range from 1,480m to 2,950m. Due to the exceptional diversity of flora and fauna, including a high degree of endemicity, the property is considered among the most irreplaceable protected areas globally for the conservation of mammals, birds and amphibians. Criterion (x): The property is home to a rich diversity of flora with a total of 1,468 species of vascular plants, including 73 globally threatened species. As for its fauna, the property hosts one of the most species-rich montane rainforest primate communities in Africa. One-fifth of Africa’s primate species are present within the property, including the globally threatened Eastern Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey. The property also features the Albertine Rift race of the Angola Colobus as well as a population of l’Hoest’s Monkey. There are 12 mammal and seven bird species that are globally threatened, including the Grey Parrot. The Grauer’s Swamp-Warbler, endemic to the Albertine Rift, is estimated to have its second largest population in the Kamiranzovu swamp within the property. With 317 species of birds recorded, the property is one of the most important sites for bird conservation in Africa. Nyungwe National Park is also an important site for endemism. There are 32 species of amphibians, 22 are Albertine Rift endemics of which two are endemic to the property. Of these, one amphibian is only known from its type locality in the Cyamudongo Natural Forest. The entomofauna is composed of at least 290 species of butterflies, including 47 species endemic to the Albertine Rift and 3 local endemic taxa. The Critically Endangered Hill’s Horseshoe Bat is endemic to the property. Integrity The property’s three component parts cover a total area of 101,963.67 hectares and are situated within Africa's largest remaining lower montane forest block. The boundaries of the property are congruent with those of the nationally designated Nyungwe National Park and although the Cyamudongo and Gisakura Natural Forest component parts are relatively small, collectively they do contain all of the key attributes of Outstanding Universal Value. Protection and management requirements The property has been formally protected since 1933, initially designated as a forest reserve and elevated to national park status, as Nyungwe National Park, in 2005. The national park and its buffer zones are legally owned by the State. Law enforcement within the park is overseen with adequately resourced capacity available. The boundaries of the property are known to stakeholders and rights holders. The buffer zone of the Nyungwe Natural Forest component part, encompasses 10,085 hectares, buffering approximately 70% of the property. In contrast, the Cyamudongo Natural Forest and Gisakura Natural Forest lack designated buffer zones and are predominantly surrounded by tea plantations and farmlands, which serve a buffering function. It is recognized that the buffer zone of the property could be extended and consolidated to ensure the further buffering of all attributes of Outstanding Universal Value. Alongside, enhancing connectivity of the component parts through the development of ecological corridors is envisaged. The property has transitioned from a government management system to a public-private partnership with African Parks (a non-governmental organization with wide experience in nature conservation), for which the on-ground management is delegated to the Nyungwe Management Company. The management of the property is guided by a 10-year management plan, a five-year rolling business plan, a long-term sustainable strategy, and a tourism development plan. A long-term monitoring system to evaluate the state of wildlife populations and vegetation informs ongoing management activities, alongside surveillance of various threats, including poaching and illegal gold and coltan mining. Despite the reduction in pressures since its designation as a national park and the high level of integrity of the property, pressures persist most significantly from incidents of encroachment, illegal mining and linear infrastructure and associated traffic. Community awareness and revenue-sharing programs have reduced the prevalence of anthropogenic forest fires, previously a significant threat to the property. The current international road that crosses the property is completely illuminated and utilized by heavy truck and bus traffic, leading to disturbances, wildlife mortality, and pollution. To ensure the long-term protection of the property’s biodiversity, it is essential to minimize road traffic through traffic management regulations and the upgraded alternative road to the north of the property is expected to reduce by 60% the traffic through the property. Continuous monitoring of the park and its boundaries is also crucial to prevent encroachment. Several reintroduction projects to restore locally extinct fauna (Savannah Elephant, Buffalo, Giant Forest Hog and Leopard) and to reinforce the Grey Parrot population are being considered. These initiatives will require careful planning and evaluation to ensure translocation is suitable and undertaken in accordance with international best practices. Equally important is fostering positive relations with stakeholders, including the development of viable socio-economic alternatives for local communities in the peripheral regions of the park. Whilst large areas of the property are almost completely inaccessible, the property overlaps with densely populated districts. Therefore, careful consultations with stakeholders and rights-holders, including local communities and park management, are required. The Community Partnership Programme of Nyungwe National Park intends to ensure that communities benefit from the National Park. Several community-based cooperatives have been established in different zones to address specific issues: a surveillance cooperative as well as tea-producing, milk-producing, fish-farming, livestock-rearing, and honey-producing cooperatives. Local communities and private companies also contribute to enforcing the unauthorized access ban on the property. There are aspirations for domestic and international tourism development, which require support and careful planning to ensure an effective offer to visitors, continued protection of the property, and appropriate benefit sharing. The Tourism Revenue Sharing Programme ensures that 10% of total park revenues are put into a national fund that sponsors park neighbouring community projects, while an additional 5% is deposited in the special guarantee fund that compensates wildlife-caused damages.