Uganda’s New UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

The Mount Elgon conservation area has been designated as one of the 10 new biosphere reserves in the world.

Shared between Uganda and Kenya, the massive peak joins the 748 sites in 134 countries, including 23 other transboundary sites.

According to a UNESCO statement announcing the new reserves last June, the Mount Elgon Transboundary Biosphere Reserve provides a range of ecosystem functions that support forests, wildlife and human livelihoods in the region.

Home to over 300 bird species, the site has an exceptional diversity of ecosystems as well as plant and animal species distributed across four distinct ecological zones characterized by different vegetation types: mixed montane forest, bamboo and low canopy forest, sub-alpine montane heath, and alpine moorland varying with altitude.

UNESCO says the new transboundary biosphere reserve supports a population of more than 1.1 million people evenly split between Kenya and Uganda. The area is inhabited by a diverse population of Sabaot, Luhya, Teso, Bagisu as well as other indigenous peoples and local communities.

Several community conservation initiatives and programs have been implemented as a way of securing community support for conserving the ecosystem.

Ask Adventure Consults in Uganda about organizing a safari to the new UNESCO reserve.

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