Forest of Hope Association (FHA) is thankful for the official designation of Gishwati-Mukura Landscape as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This is a big achievement that will ensure sustainable use and conservation of natural resources within this landscape and the improvement of relationship between people and their environment.

Even if this is a landscape of global importance due to its high level of species endemism and biological diversity, it is mostly known for having experienced the highest rate of deforestation in Rwanda. It comprises two natural forests, Gishwati and Mukura, gazetted as Rwanda’s newest national park, Gishwati-Mukura National park (GMNP) in 2016. For instance, from its original size of 700 km in 1930s, the core forest of Gishwati was reduced to 6 km in 2002. This large-scale deforestation led to a big loss in endemic flora and fauna. Human encroachment on Mukura Natural Forest for mining, livestock grazing, crop cultivation, firewood collection and charcoal making, also led to a significant degradation, loss of ecosystem services and all primates because of the lack of protection for several years. However, this landscape remain as home to a number of threatened species including: eastern chimpanzees (listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List); golden monkeys (listed as Endangered); mountain monkeys (listed as Vulnerable); more than 200 species of birds, that include 16 endemic to the Albertine Rift and three IUCN threatened species, and a big number of tree species, including indigenous hardwoods and bamboo.

Created in 2012 by former employees of the Great Ape Trust/Gishwati Area Conservation Programme (GACP) when it closed in 2011, Forest of Hope Association made a significant contribution to the conservation and the protection of Gishwati, the northern part of GMNP. This was done through community forest protection, sensitizing local people about the importance of conserving protected areas, improving local livelihoods and reducing human-wildlife conflicts. By this time, the natural forest is regenerated considerably, threats to primate populations and the sheltered biological diversity are significantly reduced in Gishwati, positive attitude of local people toward the conservation of Gishwati-Mukura National Park is increasing from 27% in 2008 to 80% currently, and different opportunities for alternative economic activities in the framework of Community-based tourism development are created.

FHA team have been engaging local communities in conservation of Gishwati, since 2008

Forest of Hope Association much appreciate the good collaboration and the efforts made by different stakeholders including: local community, local leaders, partners, different donors and government institutions; whose contributions led to this achievement we celebrate. We are confident that this designation will help to mitigate the consequences of today’s actions on the environment, promote environmental education for sustainable development, and thereby increasing people’s ability to efficiently manage natural resources for the well-being of both human populations and the biological diversity.

With the support from West Chester University Foundation of Pennsylvania, FHA is currently collaborating with Wilderness Safaris Rwanda in the areas of: tourism, conservation and community development, focusing on chimpanzee monitoring and habituation, community education, tourism product development and more. Through this collaboration the Forest of Hope Guest House and Camp Site are also established at the Gishwati Research Station and will soon open. Each visit will contribute to the reforestation, protection and conservation of the park’s diversity and the upliftment of its surrounding communities.

This landscape remain as home to a number of threatened species including eastern chimpanzee

Forest of Hope Association (FHA) is a National NGO that works on conservation of the Gishwati-Mukura National Park in Rwanda since January 2012. Our mission is engaging local communities in conservation of Protected Areas. Our main activities are: community forest protection, community outreach, human-wildlife conflicts resolution, improving local livelihoods, community tourism development and facilitating research on the forest and its biodiversity.