Proposal to construct Nteko-Buhoma road will compromise gorilla conservation

Development and conservation have created a lot of controversy in the recent past and with the continued destruction of habitats and a changing climate, the stakes are even going to be higher. One of such developments that will make stakes go even highest is the 21KM Nteko-Buhoma Road as proposed by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). The claim is that the construction of the said road will boost tourism, trade, and transport of people and goods.

However, this is from a development angle and not from a conservation angle.  Because the said road will take away 1.1sq meters of intact forest cover from the total 321sq. kilometers that make the Bwindi National Park. From a development angle that’s such a small area yet for conservation that’s huge that implementing it could endanger the Gorillas and destroy the gains made in their conservation.

This has multiple negative effects since the road will fragment a virgin forest ecosystem and directly affect biodiversity. This could also give high-level poachers to enter and leave the park without much struggle also endangering wildlife.

Another fact is that Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a region of endemism and opening up canopies along the 21Km could attract invasive species and endanger indigenous species making it hard for the wildlife including to survive in the altered ecosystem.

The road will also divide the park hence making species that can’t cross the tarmac remain on one side of the park. Some beautiful reptiles and climbing animals could fail to move from one side of the forest since many move using branches that are interconnected. This would lead such animals to lack space in which all their need isn’t available leading to the death of such animals.

The construction of this road will also allow access to the forests to people that are not under any obligation and therefore not monitored. This will make the chances of zoonosis high (Transmission of diseases between humans and animals). With COVID 19 with humans sharing about 96 percent of our DNA with gorillas we could have the gorilla population infected and therefore wiped out.

The final effects are those brought by the road construction itself. For example, it means that we shall open the forest to a construction company and heavy construction equipment and go on to erode the ecosystem with noise pollution at its best scaring away wildlife from their ecosystem and interrupting their feeding habits and movement hence causing stress. Construction of the road will also cause soil erosion, pollution of water and the soils, and affect the Bwindi climate that the majority of the people and wildlife depend on.

It is therefore important that in this case, we abandon the so-called development by building the Nteko Buhoma Road and go with conservation and I call all colleagues in the conservation sector to raise up and so no to the construction of this road because it could end in another disaster.

Atuheire Brian Batenda

Executive Director AIFE-Uganda.