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Conservation of indigenous plants outside protected areas in Tororo District, eastern Uganda
Author(s) -
Eilu Gerald,
Oriekot Joseph,
Tushabe Herbert
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00861.x
Subject(s) - indigenous , geography , agroforestry , ecology , biology
Conservation in the tropics has focussed on protected areas (PAs) ignoring the unprotected sites. This study assessed the conservation of indigenous plants outside the PAs in Tororo District, eastern Uganda. Data were collected using participatory methods and field surveys, and questionnaires administered to 118 randomly selected respondents. A total of 87 indigenous plant species are used for firewood, medicine, construction, food, environmental services, pest control and cultural purposes. Four alien invasive species, ( Lantana camara L. , Senna spectabilis (DC.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby , Thevetia sp. and Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsley) A. Gray, are used. The indigenous species belong to 36 families and 66 genera. The plants are collected from around homesteads (crop fields and home gardens), wetlands and uncultivated hills/rocks. Use pattern was related to socio‐economic characteristics such as age, sex and occupation. The local conservation strategies include retaining useful plants around homesteads, controlled harvesting, restricting bush burning, tending and protective fences. The conservation strategies are related to socio‐economic characteristics and interests of harvesters. Overexploitation threatens the survival of species such as Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C. Berg, which are on the IUCN Red list. Conservation outside PAs should target common interest user groups and designate important sites for plant conservation.