Mumbaka Forest Block, Port Victoria Forest Station, Busia County

Location of the Site: Port Victoria forest station in Bunyala sub -county, Busia County and covers 601.6 hectares. The forest stations comprises four hills namely Mumbaka, Wanga, Namuluku and Nanyungu covering a 35.35 km circumference.
Landmark: Lake Victoria
Importance: Protecting Yala swamp
Livelihood Information: Peasant farming and fresh water fishing

Deforestation/Degradation of the Forest at the Adopted Site
Typically, the area vegetation comprised of an indigenous forest dominated by Prunus africana, Croton macrostachyus, Croton megalocarpus, Markhamia lutea, Bridelia micrantha, Tamarindus indica, Ficus sycomorus, Albizia gummifera, Maesopsis eminii, Olea Africana, Zanthoxylum gilletii, Syzygium species, Spathodea campanulata and Podocarpus latifolius tree species.

History

Port Victoria forest station was gazetted in 1986 and covers 601.6 hectares. The forest has great potential for ecotourism because the hilltops provide a scenic viewpoint for Lake Victoria and distant views of Uganda. User rights include short term grazing during rainfall seasons. The forest is valued by the community for grazing during the rainfall season, grass cutting, herbal medicine, among other uses.

Reasons for Degradation / Deforestation

• Lack of capacity building, awareness creation and training for the forest adjacent communities
• Illegal burning of charcoal and raw wood fuel
• Brewing of illicit alcohol and illegal growing of bhang
• Illegal grazing and overgrazing
• Over exploitation of dominant medicinal trees

Unique Features
Mumbaka Forest surrounds Kenya’s famed Yale Swamp, home to rare sitatunga antelope that is under threat because of human activity. The largest wetland in the Horn of Africa country with an area of 175 kilometers, is not only a natural filter for the waters that go into the River Nile from Lake Victoria but also home to several species of flora and fauna.

Type of Restoration Needed:
Full reforestation and removal of invasive species

Planting Site Size and Planting Capacity:
Completely deforested areas: 600 Hectares.

Purpose of the Project

The Project aims to restore the deforested and degraded areas of Mumbaka Forest through tree planting, management and protection.

Forest Restoration Plan

Forest Restoration Methods
Forest Restoration at the Adopted Forest Site will largely entail implementing the following restoration methods:

• Replanting degraded/deforested areas with indigenous trees
• Enrichment tree planting with indigenous trees
• Assisted natural regeneration
• Removing invasive plants for sustainability of the forest and its habitat

Proposed Land use plan at the adopted forest site

• Approximate size of the area: 602 Hectares
• This land will be divided into four (3) main blocks for ease of restoration. A smaller block/space will be left for tree nursery.

Tree Planting
Indigenous trees will be species of choice. To ensure the restored forest resembles a natural forest, seedlings will not be planted in straight lines while variety of other indigenous species suitable in the area will also be planted Prunus africana, Croton macrostachyus, Croton megalocarpus, Markhamia lutea, Bridelia micrantha, Ficus sycomorus, Albizia gummifera, Maesopsis eminii, Olea Africana, Zanthoxylum gilletii, Syzygium species, Spathodea campanulata and Podocarpus latifolius. Spacing of trees will be irregular to mimic nature.

Sources of seedlings
A Tree Nursery will be established at the site to supply seedlings for this restoration project.

Threats to Planted Seedlings and the Adopted Forest
The survival of the planted seedlings and conservation efforts at the Forest will be threatened by a number of factors including browsing by domestic and wild animals, invasive plants and weeds, further deforestation, forest fires, effects of climate change and especially drought.

Protecting the Seedlings and Forest Conservation
Scouts
To mitigating the threats to the seedlings and the adopted forest, EarthLungs Reforestation Projects will employ community scouts to protect and maintain the newly planted seedlings to self-sustenance. For details see table 1 below.

Community Participation

To enlist community support of this project, community participation strategy will be formulated with the local people with a view to increase community benefits from the forest while ensuring protection and conservation of the forest. This community participation program will work around the following thematic areas:

• Protecting the adopted forest site from uses that led to deforestation and degradation in the first place
• Promote conservation of the remaining natural forest in the area to ensure healthy ecosystems and explore potential sustainable community forest benefits
• Community participation in tree planting, removing of invasive species, weed control, forest fire prevention and management, monitoring and reporting illegal activities in the forest etc
• Initiate community programs that will help reduce pressure on forest resources and improve local livelihoods ( Alternative Livelihood Support Programs)
• Build the local community’s capacity for long term stewardship of the forested natural areas through increased public awareness of and engagement in protecting, restoring and helping to maintain healthy forests.
• Initiate an Environmental Education Outreach program to educate the community and other stakeholders in forest conservation and management.

Monitoring, Protection and Maintenance of Planted Seedlings
The planted tree seedlings will need to be protected for up to 5 years after establishment against human activities, weed, drought, invasive plants, forest fires and browsing by wild and domestic animals. CFA members will be engaged to monitor, protect and maintain the site.