History of Nyungwe Forest
The history pf protection of Nyungwe Forest National Park started as early as 1903. Even though formally protected for more than 100 years, the biodiversity and size of Nyungwe Forest has steadily been decreasing and Nyungwe Forest was not declared a national park until 2005. The original forest of Nyungwe included both forest elephants and buffalo, which became extinct in the later part of the 20th century.
Up until the 80’s, Nyungwe Forest was still divided into different zones of different use some of which were used for logging. The park suffered a lot during the war in the 90’s, but many devoted rangers stayed to in the park to protect the forest when many where forced to flee.
It was not until rather recently that hiking trails and the canopy walkway were constructed. This was done to find a sustainable future for the park which involves the right balance between ecotourism and conservation in Nyungwe Forest. It also opened the park up to activities such as hiking in Nyungwe Forest
The history and people of the area are diverse, with many examples of song, dance, music, cuisine, handicrafts and other artisan skills that make for a fascinating complement to the ecotourism attractions of Nyungwe.
Nyungwe forest is hundreds of thousands of years old. People’s presence in Nyungwe dates back at least 50,000 years.
Handicrafts and beverages purchased by tourists create local income and the Rwanda Development Board gives a portion of park revenue to surrounding communities, who help protect the forest.
1903 Colonial Crown Land:
1903: Nyungwe was declared a forest reserve, first by the German colonial government followed by the Belgians with restrictions on clearing, but protection was not consistently enforced
Nyungwe was reduced by over 150 km2 due to fires, woodcutting, hunting of animals and small-scale agriculture.
While the neighboring forests, Gishwati and Virunga were cut in half as well.
1958-1973 Forest Lost:
Forest in Nyungwe is reduced by over 150 km2 due to fires, woodcutting, hunting of animals, and small-scale agriculture. Nearby Gishwati and Virunga forests are also cut in half at this time for agriculture conversion. Elephants still numbered in the hundreds in Nyungwe.
1969:
Hunters killed the last buffalo in Nyungwe. However, Elephants still number in the hundreds in Nyungwe.
1974:
Nyungwe was divided into areas that allowed for sustainable use and harvesting of timber.
The Government of Rwanda developed a plan for a buffer zone that is still seen today.
1984:
In this year, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Government of Rwanda documented colobus monkeys in groups of up to 400 members by conducting surveys—an unheard of phenomenon. Nyungwe is divided into areas that allow for sustainable use and harvesting of timber. The Government of Rwanda develops a plan for a buffer zone that can still be seen today.
1987:
Trail system begins to be formed at Uwinka. War and genocide devastated the country and destroyed many of the research and tourist facilities in Uwinka. While most of the senior staff was forced to flee many junior staff members at Nyungwe stayed to protect the park.
1990
Project Frugivore, a USAID-funded project out of University of Wisconsin-Madison initiates a research project on the role of frugivores in the maintenance of biodiversity in Nyungwe. Focus species include the three turaco species, two guenon species (blue monkey and mountain or L’Hoest’s monkey) and understory frugivorous birds.
1994 War and Genocide:
The Park began to rebuild, but security and stability were still uncertain. Poachers killed the last elephant in the swamp of Nyungwe. War and genocide devastate the country and destroy many of the research and tourist facilities in Uwinka. Most senior staff is forced to flee, but many junior staff members at Nyungwe stayed to protect the park.
1995
The park begins to rebuild, but security and stability are still uncertain.
1999:
The Rwandan government made Nyungwe an official National Park, giving it the highest level of protective status in the country.
2005
Nyungwe is declared a national park and gets Officially Protected:
2006
USAID begins work in Nyungwe with the Strengthening Sustainable Ecotourism in and around Nyungwe National Park Program. Or more simply put, Nyungwe Nziza meaning Beautiful Nyungwe. These efforts were the first to kick start Nyungwe’s growing eco-tourist industry and resulted in the construction of the Uwinka Interpretation Center.
2010
Nyungwe Nziza (beautiful Nyungwe) project begins to help boost ecotourism and economic growth in the area funded by USAID.
The Wildlife Conservation Society begins a three year Conservation Education and Outreach Program with the goal of decreasing threats to the park by educating the local communities about the value of Nyungwe’s biodiversity. Since the start of the program the participants have led local community groups on several educational visits to the park. They’ve also visited schools, churches, and other groups with successful education programs.
Nyungwe Forest Lodge was opened as the first five star establishment serving the Nyungwe Forest region. It was built to blend in with the surrounding environment and is situated in a tea plantation at the edge of the park.
Rwanda Development Board launched the park’s Canopy Walk. The Canopy Walk is the first of its kind in East Africa and the third of its kind in Africa. This hanging platform allows tourists to view different animal species and take in breath taking views.
2012
Nyungwe Nziza project won British Guild of Travel Writers’ Global Award for the best new tourism project in the world. The project was praised for its effort in balancing tourism, wildlife, and agricultural community.
The award highlighted the 44% increase of visitors within one year after the introduction of the canopy walk. Rwanda Development Board News
2013
The park becomes the first in Africa to train all guides as Certified Interpretive Guides.
Park launches professional guide certification
Nyungwe is nominated for World Travel Awards, which looks to acknowledge, reward, and celebrate excellence across sectors of the tourism industry.
Today and Beyond
Just by visiting, you are part of the park’s history and contribute to the local economy, which in turn helps to protect this amazing place. Nyungwe’s rich natural resources make it vital but also threaten it. Protecting the forest is up to us. Mining, poaching, fires, and illegal logging have all threatened the forest throughout its history. Once damaged, forests take centuries to recover.
The Rwanda Development Board, surrounding communities, Wildlife conservation Society and many others are working to ensure Nyungwe is protected for generations to come. Beekeeping and other cooperatives help protect the park, gaining income through responsible, sustainable forest use. For centuries, bamboo has been used to make traditional homes, and some of Rwanda’s famous weavings are made from bamboo.
Community Projects around Nyungwe
Revenue Sharing and Outreach projects, Bee-Keeping Associations Handicraft Associations, Rural Electrification Project, Community Tourism Project, Community Tourist Lodge Project, Energy Efficient Stoves, Benefits from Tourism.
Community Tourism at Banda Village
“When tourists come to Banda, they pay to watch dancers and purchase handicrafts. Tourists buy food, water, and soda. This began as a nature conservation club. The objective was to transmit messages, and people used dancing. In 2003 we got a permit to be a cooperative that has general aim of ecotourism development of Nyungwe National Park using Banda culture and handicrafts. The objective is to reduce poverty of people in the cooperative and in the general population while promoting nature conservation.”
Teaching kids about the forest through nature clubs will protect the park for generations to come.
Rwandans depend on Nyungwe as a source of natural resources and water, and protection from erosion.
People depend on Nyungwe to make a living—it provides jobs for guides and trackers, and opportunities for the local economy, like the selling of handicrafts.
Nyungwe forest provides estimated hundreds of millions of US dollars (billions of RFW) worth of “ecological services” to surrounding communities, Rwanda and the entire planet every year—such as slowing global warming and watershed protection. Rope, bamboo, and other traditionally used forest plants are still important to people for weaving, medicines, building and more. They must be harvested sustainably to protect the forest’s integrity.
Several plants found in Nyungwe have important medicinal value. A list of these can be see by clicking here. Some medicines have yet to be discovered!
The bark of the umugote tree makes a good cough medicine.