Thursday, January 17, 2013

Riots Happening in Mabira Forest Reserve


One of the forests (Mabira on the map to the left) that I will be studying has currently ungone hostile take over by neighboring sugar cane farmers. The Mabira Forest reserve is the largest of the four forest reserves at 32,000 hectares.  It is located east of Kampala and is a semi-deciduous forest with hills and valleys containing papyrus swamps.   Although a forest reserve since 1932, the Ugandan government and foreign developers have pushed plans to clear-cut of one-third of the land for a sugar cane plantation.  Although an on going battle, politic unrest has not occurred since 1997. In addition, the forest has been the site of illegal loggers. Fuel, needed for everyday life, is sparse in Uganda.  Large trees are often harvested and made into charcoal- a primary source of heat in Uganda. 
Finding the balance between preservation, sustainability, and human life continues to be complicated. I am hoping that the baseline data I collect, and the ideas about water quality that Julie communicates to the area youth and stake holders, with help highlight the need for green space and its conservation. 

Sunday, January 6, 2013

What Will You Be Doing In Africa?

Hello friends,
I've been asked by many to set up a blog to track my journey in Africa. Although I don't depart until May, I figured it would take me all of four months to figure out how this technology worked and that I might get started. For those that know me well I am not one to wait until the last minute to do things. This, a perfect example.
My research in Africa has stemmed from a friendship with my colleague Dr. Julie Pynn.  For the past decade Julie, a conservation psychologist,  has worked in East Africa. She conducts interesting research on youth development and relationships of people to the environment. Julie and I first struck up a relationship at the gym where we live in Rome, GA. I think it was when she figured out that I was a Yankee from Detroit that she was first clued into my coolness.  Julie knew that I had lead several study abroad trips to Iceland and had asked if I wanted to collaborate with her on a student trip to Italy. That trip ran during the Summer of 2010. The following year she invited me to co-teach another study abroad trip to Tanzania.  Prior to that invitation I had never expected to visit Africa so soon in my life. I jumped at the chance. Julie also suggested that I add to a research project she began during her Fulbright looking at biodiversity of forests in Uganda. With her help, I was able to put together a small internal grant that allowed me to spend two weeks collecting water quality data in Uganda. That data provided the background of the research I am about to embark upon.
So what will I be doing?  The first part of the trip will be a study abroad trip to Tanzania where we will go on a safari in the Serengeti, visit the largest volcano in Africa- Mt. Kilimanjaro  and then visit an island called Zanzibar where we will focus on coastal processes. After that trip concludes, another group of Berry College students will meet us in Moshi for two weeks. After the student groups leave, Julie and I will be headed to Uganda where we will be working on research for our National Geographic Society Conservation Trust Grant and for my Fulbright Research Scholarship. The focus of our research is to look at four forest reserves outside of the capital city, Kampala. These forest reserves were first designated in 1992. Since then, the population of Uganda has grown by 20% per year. The forests are quickly being destroyed as population encroaches. Although scientists have looked at the biodiversity of these forests, they have not looked at any of the river systems within the forest reserves. This is important because they are part of the Lake Victoria watershed. (Lake Victoria is the second largest lake in the world). In fact, other than the Nile River, little research has been conducted on river systems within Uganda. I will be collecting data that will be applied to what is called a Water Quality Index. There are nine variables (temp, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliforms, etc.) that have weighted values. Using this system one number can be developed to communicate water quality. For example, a value of 99 means excellent water quality or 50 means poor. Once we have this monthly value for each forest, Julie will then use the WQI value to communicate ecosystem health to the locals and stakeholders.  I am hopeful that with my research team of graduate students from Makerere University that we will be able to visit each of the four forest reserves once a month for a year. This baseline data will then help to indicate long term environmental degradation or improvement.
We have so much to do before we leave. Although I've traveled internationally several times, I have not moved to a country for such an extended time. For now, I will keep adding to my to-do list.
Let the count down begin!

Reflecting on past trips...




 The above three pictures are from the last trip to Africa in Summer 2011.