What started as merely rumours of conservation after a long time of degradation and encroachment by the locals, destroying the forest, Bugoma Forest finally got some appealing news. The president of Uganda, through the Prime Minister, on 24th April 2026, officially handover of Bugoma Central Forest Reserve from the National Forestry Authority to the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
The Bugoma Forest had long been encroached on by the villagers who practised deforestation for firewood and charcoal burning. This declaration was made in the president’s letter, where he ordered that this forest must be handed over to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. He further proposed to promote this central forest reserve into a national park.
About Bugoma Central Forest Reserve
In the realm of Uganda’s Western Arm of the Rift Valley escarpment lies a fortress of ecology, mounting Uganda’s tropical dominancy. The Bugoma Central Forest Reserve has always been a sleeping gentle flagged by locals as abandoned. The western front of Uganda’s vast vegetation, specifically in the Hioma district, hosts the famous Bugoma Central Forest Reserve. The gazetting of Bugoma Forest came long ago during the colonial government in 1932. This was done to strengthen the conservation efforts of this forest as a natural forest.
After the exit of the colonial government, the management of this forest fell under the National Forestry Authority in 2003. The change of management came after the massive political instability across the country. This is why by 1998, the forest was over 650 square kilometers. However, this number has since gone down to over 400 square kilometers. This is attributed to encroachment by the locals, leading to mass deforestation. This and more are the very reasons why the management was shifted from the forestry authority to UWA.
Bugoma Central Forest Reserve is in close resemblance to the Ituri Forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Part of Bugoma Forest was also given away by the government to Hoima Sugar Limited to plant sugarcane. It is important to note that Bugoma is a renowned forest that also harbors plenty of wildlife and bird species. Its strategic location on the road to Kibale Forest National Park from Murchison Falls National Park paves the way for visitors to enjoy a scenic stopover. It is very predictable that not very far from now, the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve will rise from its ruins to become a central wildlife center for exploration as a national park.
Why has the management of Bugoma Forest shifted to Uganda Wildlife Authority?
Not at any one moment that someone could have imagined that the management of the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve would be changed to Uganda Wildlife Authority from the National Forestry Reserve. Though it was an unlikely move, it was very worthwhile because of some of the following reasons.
The many years of the destruction of the Bugoma Forest Central Reserve are among the triggers for the changing of the management. It is not true to say that the former management of this forest had done a poor job in protecting it. No, that would not be fair, though some laxity increased the destruction. This laxity was sometimes influenced by politics.
Increased presence of both wildlife and bird species in the Bugoma Forest Central Reserve. The protection of wildlife and bird species has always been a mandate of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. With the increased presence of wildlife and bird species, the wildlife authority would be the ideal body to handle the Bugoma Forest.
Human encroachment has been one of the greatest threats to the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve. This human encroachment led to part of this forest being cut for commercial purposes. This led to the loss of wildlife habitat and increased wildlife and human conflict. This, in turn, led to the loss of wildlife species through such a conflict.
What are the attractions in Bugoma Forest?
As visitors venture into the Bugoma Forest for adventure, there is a lot to spot and encounter. This is because this forest is a special ecological system with incredible attractions, as highlighted below.
Primates
Bugoma Forest is a central figure in the primate circles of Uganda, with some of the most unique primate species. Among the primates in this forest, chimpanzees are some of the highly sought-after primates. Bugoma Forest hosts over 600 chimpanzees, with over two chimpanzee communities habituated and ready for trekking. Other primates to encounter include vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, and black and white colobus monkey, among others.
Wildlife species
The forest is also home to a variety of large wildlife species, which also include forest elephants, African forest buffaloes, golden cats, side-striped jackals, and Uganda kobs, among others. Visitors can encounter some of these species while on a guided nature walk in the forest.
Birdlife species
With over 225 recorded bird species, some of these birds are highlighted as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Bugoma Forest hosts both the migratory and the endemic species, and these are the residents or constant birds spotted in the forest. The migratory species are bird species that visit the forest seasonally, usually coming in the wet seasons for breeding. The great blue turaco, black and white casqued hornbill, black-billed turaco, and speckled tinkerbird, among others.
The exploration of Bugoma Central Forest Reserve as a tourism destination is open and offers incredible tourist activities. Some of these activities are chimpanzee trekking, birding, and guided nature walks, among others. Contact Monteero Safaris for advanced information about exploring this particular forest, as it enters a phase of change into a national park.