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Tourist Agroforestry Landscape from the Perception of Local Communities: A Case Study of Rwenzori, Uganda

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  • Simone Iacopino

    (Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
    Department of Forestry, Bio-Diversity and Tourism, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda)

  • Carlo Piazzi

    (Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy)

  • Julius Opio

    (Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
    Department of Forestry, Bio-Diversity and Tourism, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda)

  • Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi

    (Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
    Department of Forestry, Bio-Diversity and Tourism, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda)

  • Efrem Ferrari

    (Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy)

  • Filippo Caporale

    (Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy)

  • Tommaso Sitzia

    (Department Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
    Department of Forestry, Bio-Diversity and Tourism, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda)

Abstract

The Bakonjo have long practiced an agroforestry system of cultivation on the Ugandan slopes of the Rwenzori Mountain range. All terrain above 1600–2200 m has been strictly protected for many years because it is part of a national park. As a trade-off, the landscapes outside the park have been largely deforested. In the meantime, tourist numbers have increased. In Ruboni, a village of 1200 people, the closest to the eastern gate of the park, we interviewed a random sample of 51 residents aged >14 to understand how they perceived the landscape, park and tourism. Cultivated features were not essential to describe the place of residence, in contrast to natural features and human engineered devices. Cultivated and natural elements were judged as beautiful. Even if the inhabitants did not like human engineered facilities, they welcomed their improvement. The origin of native and non-native plants was not consistently recognized. These results show that the inhabitants feel affection for the agroforestry pattern of the Rwenzori landscape. However, ecological, social and economic pressures are challenging land use sustainability. This would be better addressed by an integrated pattern of land governance than the current two models: strict protection inside the park and relaxed land use outside.

Suggested Citation

  • Simone Iacopino & Carlo Piazzi & Julius Opio & Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi & Efrem Ferrari & Filippo Caporale & Tommaso Sitzia, 2022. "Tourist Agroforestry Landscape from the Perception of Local Communities: A Case Study of Rwenzori, Uganda," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:5:p:650-:d:804053
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tumusiime, David Mwesigye & Vedeld, Paul & Gombya-Ssembajjwe, William, 2011. "Breaking the law? Illegal livelihoods from a Protected Area in Uganda," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 273-283, April.
    2. Kim Canavan & Susan Canavan & Vincent Ralph Clark & Onalenna Gwate & David Mark Richardson & Guy Frederick Sutton & Grant Douglas Martin, 2021. "The Alien Plants That Threaten South Africa’s Mountain Ecosystems," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Malizo Ntalo & Khuliso Emmanuel Ravhuhali & Bethwell Moyo & Onke Hawu & Ntokozo Happy Msiza, 2022. "Lantana camara : Poisonous Species and a Potential Browse Species for Goats in Southern Africa—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-10, January.
    4. Wunder, Sven & Angelsen, Arild & Belcher, Brian, 2014. "Forests, Livelihoods, and Conservation: Broadening the Empirical Base," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 1-11.
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    1. Igor Trišić & Donatella Privitera & Snežana Štetić & Georgi Genov & Sara Stanić Jovanović, 2022. "Sustainable Tourism in Protected Area—A Case of Fruška Gora National Park, Vojvodina (Northern Serbia)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Zsuzsanna Bacsi & Mesfin Bekele Gebbisa & Lóránt Dénes Dávid & Zsolt Hollósy, 2023. "Pastoralism and Tourism in Eastern Africa—Quantitative Analysis from 2004 to 2018," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.

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