The Budongo Forest Reserve

Abstract

The Budongo Forest Reserve is a mixture of tropical forest and savanna grasslands and woodlands. In 1988, the Forest Department started the Forest Rehabilitation Program which recognized the value of forest ecosystems, especially for non-consumptive uses. As a result, the Budongo Forest Ecotourism Project (BFEP) was developed in 1993. Local community development funds have been established as a way to distribute tourism revenue to the local communities. Currently 40% of the tourism (entry and camping) fees are distributed back to the local community for projects that support conservation, benefit the community as a whole, and require community input in the form of labor or cash. In addition, locals are benefiting from the ecotourism by selling crafts, non-traditional agriculture, and other income opportunities derived from tourism.