Research

We continue with our ongoing research and monitoring of Lubigi Wetland, Kampala’s largest remaining wetland. A Rocha Uganda is assessing the plants and wildlife which the wetland supports and the extent of damage that is occurring as a result of the degradation of the wetland.

Through this work, we hope to establish strategies to restore and conserve the remaining part of the wetland. We believe that individuals and communities thrive alongside good environmental management; and that human health and well-being are inextricably linked to environmental quality and its conservation.

We intend to build up a robust data set for biodiversity of Lubigi wetland to evidence the state of biodiversity in the wetland and the pressures acting upon it. A number of research projects have been conducted in Lubigi wetland since 2007 including ecological, ethno medicinal and socioeconomic surveys.

The A Rocha environmental education programme runs in some schools surrounding Lubigi. In addition, the A Rocha community based programme has a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Project in the community surrounding the wetland.

We are facing a huge challenge, however, as there are major developments which are causing the degradation of the wetland , including construction of Entebbe expressway and the extension of the Northern bypass road which will involve filling parts of the wetland with a rock base. ARU is currently working with a GIS consultant to analyze aerial images of the wetland over a period of time to tell us how much wetland we lose per year and give  prediction of how much will be lost in future. This coupled with detailed surveys on the flora and fauna of the wetland will give us a good advocacy message on the implication of these construction developments on the service provision of the wetland.