Aflasafe™ pea amendment for usaid/East Africa February 2015
Download 4.37 Mb.
|
- Navigate this page:
- Ecological Zones.
- Water Resources.
- Forest Resources
- Protected Areas.
|
Source: Ezilon.com Topography. Most of Uganda forms part of the interior plateau of the African continent. It is characterized by flat-topped hills in the central, western and eastern parts of the country. The rise of the plateau in the eastern and western parts of the country is represented by spectacular mountainous topography found along the borders. These include the Block Mountains of the Rwenzori and the Mufumbira volcanoes in the west, and Mt. Elgon, Mt. Moroto, Mt. Morungole, Mt. Timu and Mt. Kadam in the east. Ecological Zones. Uganda’s landscape has a rich diversity of relief features which exert significant influence on the physical and biological environments. The distinct landscapes are reflected in the physical, biological, and human environments. There are 11 main vegetation categories: high mountain moorland and heath; medium altitude forests; forest/savannah mosaic; moist thicket; woodland; wooded savannah; grass savannah; steppe; bush land and dry thicket; swamp (wetlands) and cultivation communities.97 Uganda experiences low wind speeds due to the location of the country in the continental interior and the highly contrasting local relief features obstruct the development of high wind speeds. The Karamoja region located in the northeast of Uganda is mostly a semi-arid plain, largely savannah, covered with seasonal grasses, thorny plants, and shrubs. Karamoja has a harsh climate and low annual rainfall. The Karamoja region is among the most deforested in Uganda. Most of Karamoja has poor soil texture that does not retain water for long and dries up quickly. Deforestation and overgrazing contribute to desertification of the region.
Uganda has extensive wetland coverage, although the information about the exact size and distribution has not been established. Uganda’s wetlands are faced with a number of threats of degradation especially resulting from population pressure and economic development. Wetlands throughout the country are increasingly being encroached upon and reclaimed mainly for agriculture and settlements. Although exploitation of surface water resources still accounts for more than 50 percent of the population needs, ground water resources are increasingly becoming important. Ground water potential in the country is mainly determined by the geology and rainfall in a given area. Generally, areas underlain by fine grain rocks and soils have low ground water potential because of limited infiltration compared to those with coarse grain rocks and sandy soils. The geology of Uganda is not especially rich in ground water because of lack of true aquifers. There are no surveys and maps of ground water resources in the country in order to assess the sensitivity of this resource to pollution and excessive abstraction. Forest Resources. Forest resources in Uganda comprise of both natural forests and plantations. Presently, most of the forest cover under protection is located on the upper slopes of mountains and highlands. In addition to forest reserves, Uganda has four types of wildlife protected areas: national parks, wildlife reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and community wildlife areas. These areas are classified according to the degree of protection associated with the protected area type. These areas are designated entirely for conservation of wildlife. There are six forest national parks, Mgahinga, Bwindi impenetrable, Kibale, Semliki, Rwenzori Mountains and Mt. Elgon. There are also four savannah ecosystem national parks, Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Kidepo. Protected Areas. The national parks occupy a total area of 11,150 km2 (four percent of the country’s area). There are also ten wildlife reserves which occupy 8,760 km2 (3.6 percent of the country’s area) of the country’s area, and consist primarily of grassland with patches of dry woodland and scrubland. In addition, there are seven wildlife sanctuaries and thirteen community wildlife areas. Overall, protected wildlife areas encompass about 20 percent of the area of Uganda. Map 5: Annual Rainfall in Uganda Soil. High productivity soils cover only eight percent of the area of Uganda. Food production has been characterized by subsistence farming, which focuses on maximizing short-term profit which promotes consuming and depleting natural stocks of plant nutrients. The subsistence farming system has resulted in degradation of soil fertility. In the past, when Uganda’s population was still low, lost soil fertility was restored through long fallow periods. With an average land holding of about two ha per household today, fallow periods are no longer practical.98 The most pressing environmental issues in Uganda include draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; and widespread poaching.99  Directory: repository -> doc doc -> Doc 9718 an/957 Handbook on Radio Frequency Spectrum Requirements for Civil Aviation doc -> Cancun convention & visitors bureau trends and Economy Report – September 2009 repository -> 8th grade English Language Department Taldykorgan Tasks for Olympiad 8 doc -> Republic of Kosovo Government Ministry of Economic Development doc -> Reporte inteligenicia doc -> Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safe Use Action Plan (persuap) doc -> Initial environmental examination (iee) and/or categorical exclusion doc -> Initial environmental examination program/activity data: Program/Activity Number doc -> Doc 9718 an/957 Handbook on Radio Frequency Spectrum Requirements for Civil Aviation Download 4.37 Mb. Share with your friends:
|