Review of indigenous knowledge in Uganda: Implications for its promotion

Indigenous knowledge (IK) has a role to play for households and community well-being in Uganda. However, IK is undergoing significant change and is on the decline in Uganda because of factors such as acculturation or the loss of IK through exposure to external cultures. In this paper we review some of the roles of, and threats to, IK with particular reference to the local community of Kaliro District. We make some recommendations on how to conserve IK in Kaliro and elsewhere in Uganda

Unfenced Borders Cause Differences in Vegetation and Fauna Between Protected and Unprotected Areas in a Tropical Savanna

Protected areas generally occur within a matrix of intensively human-modified landscapes. As a way to maintain the biodiversity in these areas, enclosure by fencing is often preferred. This strategy, however, is costly and little is known about the effectiveness of the alternative of unfenced borders on the vegetation and fauna. The objectives of this study are to assess whether there is a distinct difference in biodiversity and composition of plants and mammals between the protected Lake Mburo National Park and the adjacent ranchlands across an unfenced border and to determine the associations between vegetation and faunal species over the same border. We recorded herbaceous vegetation, woody vegetation, and mammal species composition in plots 300 to 500 m away from the border both inside the protected area and in the adjacent ranchlands. The species composition of herbs and mammals in the protected area differ from the adjacent ranchlands, but there is no difference for trees and shrubs. After accounting for land-use type, distance from the border did not significantly account for any additional variation. We also find a correlation between the species composition of vegetation and fauna. Our results suggest that unfenced borders around protected areas create a clear effect.publishedVersio

Oil content and physicochemical characteristics of some wild oilseed plants from Kivu region Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Seeds were collected from Carapa grandiflora, Carapa procera, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Maesopsis eminii, Millettia dura, Myrianthus arboreus, Myrianthus holstii, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Podocarpus usambarensis, Tephrosia vogelii and Treculia africana from Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the surrounding areas in D.R. Congo. Oils were extracted using ethyl ether in Soxhlet extractor. Physicochemical characteristics were determined using the methods of the American Oil Chemists Society. The seed oil content obtained ranged from 17.2 to 64.4%; the highest was obtained from P. usambarensis and the lowest from T. vogelii. The oil specific gravity varied from 0.8050 to 0.9854; the oils melting point ranged from -12 to 32°C; the oil saponification values from 182.5 to 260.9 mg KOH/g; the oil acidity index from 1.74 to 5.31 mg KOH/g and the unsaponifiable matter from 0.54 to 2.25%. The plant seed oils content reported in this study are comparatively higher than some food crop plants such as soybean and olive. Five of these oils have oil melting range as that of edible oils. C. grandiflora, C. halicacabum, M. eminii and the two species of Myrianthus are in the range of common cooking oils by their specific gravity values. P. usambarensis seed oil with its relatively high unsaponifiable matter content can have efficacy as cosmetic.Keywords: Physicochemical characteristics, oil content, oilseed plants, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, edible oil

Important woody plant species, their management and conservation status in Balawoli Sub-county, Uganda

Woody plant species are threatened in Uganda. To conserve these species there is need to generate information that may be used to design management plans. This study was conducted in Balawoli Sub-county, Kamuli District, Uganda between July 2009 and January 2010. We addressed four questions: (1) which woody species are most preferred? (2) what is the conservation status of these species and for which species have changes in local availability been observed? (3) what management practices exist for woody species? and (4) what tenure rights exist for woody plants? Data were generated through guided questionnaire interviews. Seventeen species are valued most within the community. These species are multipurpose and altogether have 25 different uses for the community. The most frequently harvested products are edible fruits, firewood and timber. The value of these species as a source of income is low. Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg, Albizia coriaria Welw. ex Oliv., Combretum molle R. Br. ex G. Don, Terminalia glaucescens Planch. ex Benth., Coffea spp., Combretum collinum Fresen. and Citrus spp. are becoming scarce. However, Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Mangifera indica L., Ficus natalensis Hochst., Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck, Acacia sp., Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby, Eucalyptus spp., Pinus spp., Carica papaya L. and Lantana camara L. are increasing in abundance. The main factors leading to the scarcity of some species include over-harvesting, destructive harvesting, pests, poor planting of trees by farmers, and droughts. The key factors contributing to some species’ success are that the species are planted, drought resistant, regenerate naturally, easy to manage, mature fast, available as seedlings. Farmers maintain 51 woody species that they plant or retain when found growing naturally on their land. Some farmers are constrained in planting trees by lack of seedlings, pest infestations, drought and lack of land. Species are managed in crop fields, the courtyard and home garden. Men own trees in the homestead, are more involved in tree management and selling of tree products, than women