Rwanda is the most densely populated countries in Africa and Gishwati forest is located in one of the most densely populated areas of Rwanda. Needles to say that this has put tremendous pressure on the sensitive ecosystem of Gishwati forest.
Gishwati Forest has a history of over five decades of deforestation which today has led to problems like landslides and soil erosion far beyond the borders of the Gishwati Forest National Park. In the 70’s, Gishwati Forest National Park was submitted to projects of large-scale cattle farming in an attempt to create and modernize farming in Rwanda. During the cattle schemes lots of original Gishwati Forest was cut down to make way for cattle ranches. During the Rwandan genocide in the 90’s, large populations of people were displaced and in need for farmland. The result had a major impact on Gishwati Forest which during this time had to make way for small scale farming. In 1970, there were approximately 28,000 hectares remaining of Gishwati Forest. In 2002 only 600 hectares remained.
Since 2002, the area was struck by many problems associated with the deforestation of Gishwati Forest. Landslides killed several problems, soil erosion destroyed farmlands and water quality diminished. The destruction of the forest was now having a major negative impact on the human population of the entire area. This turned out to be a turning point and resulted in the first of many projects aimed at restoring the original Gishwati Forest.
The first project, Projet d’Appui a la Reforestation au Rwanda, PAFOR ran from 2005 to 2008. This project aimed at establishing a system of sustainable management of the forest resources of Rwanda and made Gishwati Forest a zone for sustainable forest management. During this period the forest was allowed to regenerate and Gishwati Forest grew to 886 hectares. From 2008 to 2011 the Great Ape Trust / Gishwati Area Conservation Program sponsored by the Great Ape Fund ran. During this period reforestation focused on steep hillsides and Gishwati Forest was increased to 1,484 hectares. The chimpanzee population in Gishwati forest managed to grow from 13 to 16 individuals. It was during this period that plans for a forest corridor to connect Gishwati Forest, and Mukura Forest to Nyungwe Forest grew.
In 2014, the Rwandan Government and The World Bank signed a deal of more the $9.5 million for the conservation of Gishwati Forest and Mukura Forest. This resulted in the Rwandan Government signing a law in 2015, which effectually created a combined national park of Gishwati Forest and Mukura Forest, including much of the deforested area between them. The law came into effect in 2019, making Gishwati-Mukura Forest National Park the most recent national park in Africa. On 1st of December Gishwati-Mukura National Park opened its doors to the public for the first time.
Gazetting the Park
In 2016 the Rwandan government passed a law to create a new national park combining the Mukura and Gishwati forests, establishing the Gishwati-Mukura National Park – a forested area which spreads from up in the north of the country near the Volcanoes National Park, all the way down, joining the Gishwati and Mukura forests, to Nyungwe Forest. This is a great success story for the conservationists who have been fighting for a long time to protect this strip on the Congo-Nile divide.
In the far north of Rwanda, Gishwati Forest once had a flourishing eco-system, extending all the way up to the Volcaones National park. Following the tragic events of the 1994 genocide, large numbers of the population flowed back into the country from across the border and spread out over the land, many heading towards these forested area to set up new farms and homes for their families. Part of the forest was cut down, natural resources extracted, and exotic species introduced – all shrinking the forested areas, pushing them beyond their means and threatening their survival. In 2007 an American research facility stepped in with the aim of saving a small population of less than 20 chimpanzees who had somehow managed to survive in a diminishing forest. They had tremendous success and quickly the protected area increased, the forest began to flourish once more, and the local communities began to live in harmony with their environment.
Further south, Mukura Forest has had a “reserve” status for the past 60 years or so – however during those years its size has reduced by almost 50% – partly due to the population pressures which affected the Gishwati Forest, but also due to illegal mining which has been taking place.
The newly created Gishwati-Mukura National Park gives both these areas official protected status, and a wildlife corridor has been established, linking Gishwati Forest to Mukura Forest and down to Nyungwe Forest. This protected area offers incredible biodiversity – Presently, it is known for a wide range of fauna, including four species of primates: the eastern chimpanzee, the golden monkey, the blue monkey, and the l’hoest’s monkey (also known as mountain monkey); more than a dozen species of East African chimpanzees; mammals such as red river hog, the black-fronted duiker, the southern tree hyrax, among others.
Giswati makes the biggest part of Nyabihu, Ngororero, Rubavu and Rutsiro districts.