Elementor #6978

The Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Wetland System is a critical ecological site within Uganda’s Albertine Graben, an area renowned for its rich biodiversity. This Ramsar site serves as a vital breeding ground for indigenous fish species and is home to globally threatened bird species, including the iconic Shoebill Stork and Grey Crowned Crane. It also provides refuge for numerous migratory birds and supports key ecosystems essential for biodiversity, community livelihoods, and the health of freshwater resources.

This initiative is a collaborative effort spearheaded by NatureUganda in partnership with TotalEnergies EP Uganda B.V. (TEPU), the operator of Contract Area 1 and Licence Area 2 North, under the Tilenga Project. The project is located within a landscape encompassing the Murchison Falls National Park, savanna protected areas, and critical wetlands, including the Budongo-Bugoma Forest Corridor.

The Tilenga Project, situated in one of Uganda’s biodiversity hotspots, is bound by Ugandan laws and international conventions to ensure a Net Gain/No Net Loss (NGIP) in biodiversity, ecosystems, and community livelihoods. The NGIP targets include increasing the extent and quality of wetland habitats within the Murchison Falls Conservation Area and enhancing freshwater quality along the Nile River and Lake Albert by the year 2045.

Challenges

Despite its ecological significance, the Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Wetland System faces several threats:

• Human-wildlife conflicts and poaching.

• Encroachment due to unclear boundaries, leading to subsistence agriculture.

• Growing human populations exerting pressure on natural resources.

• Impacts of oil and gas exploration and associated infrastructure development.

• Lack of permits for wetland use among small-scale farmers, reducing their incentive to adopt sustainable practices.

Project Objectives

The Conservation and Restoration of the Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Wetland System Project seeks to address these challenges through targeted interventions. The overarching goal is to conserve and restore the wetland system while building local capacity for sustainable land management practices. Specific objectives include:

1. Guiding the restoration and management of the Ramsar site.

2. Empowering local communities to engage in environmentally sustainable practices.

3. Enhancing biodiversity, ecosystem health, and community resilience against climate change and development impacts.

Through this project, NatureUganda and its partners aim to secure the ecological integrity of this critical wetland system while promoting co-existence between development and conservation.