Govt urged to gazette Lutembe
Oct 05, 2004
THE British High Commissioner, Adam Wood, has urged the Government to gazette Lutembe Bay located on the shores of Lake Victoria as a Ramsar site.
By Gerald Tenywa
THE British High Commissioner, Adam Wood, has urged the Government to gazette Lutembe Bay located on the shores of Lake Victoria as a Ramsar site.
The Ramsar site is a wetland which is globally recognised because it has unique species of birds, fish and plants.
The assistant commissioner for wetlands under the Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment, Paul Mafabi, said on Sunday that concerted efforts were needed to protect the site.
Wood said Lutembe Bay was part of the global heritage and the Government authorities should protect it.
He said this should not be lumped with the 20 Ramsar sites which the Government was planning to protect ahead of the global meeting on wetlands in November next year.
Mafabi and Achilles Byaruhanga, who heads Nature Uganda, a partner of BirdLife International, accompanied him during a bird watching expedition organised as part of the World Bird Festival.
The festival is organised once in every two years to highlight the plight of birds.
Mafabi said the status of Lutembe as a Ramsar site would be an advantage for it to be monitored. He said global attention would attract funding for the site.
Mafabi said the global agreement on wetlands encouraged the wise use of wetlands.
He said local governments and the environment ministry would have to clear the application for a Ramsar status.
Byaruhanga said Lutembe Bay harboured over two million white-winged black terns that escape the harsh winter in October and return to Europe in April.
However, he said the largest sanctuary of the migrant birds in the country was under threat from flower firms, including Rosebud, which cultivate flowers in the bay.
Ends
THE British High Commissioner, Adam Wood, has urged the Government to gazette Lutembe Bay located on the shores of Lake Victoria as a Ramsar site.
The Ramsar site is a wetland which is globally recognised because it has unique species of birds, fish and plants.
The assistant commissioner for wetlands under the Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment, Paul Mafabi, said on Sunday that concerted efforts were needed to protect the site.
Wood said Lutembe Bay was part of the global heritage and the Government authorities should protect it.
He said this should not be lumped with the 20 Ramsar sites which the Government was planning to protect ahead of the global meeting on wetlands in November next year.
Mafabi and Achilles Byaruhanga, who heads Nature Uganda, a partner of BirdLife International, accompanied him during a bird watching expedition organised as part of the World Bird Festival.
The festival is organised once in every two years to highlight the plight of birds.
Mafabi said the status of Lutembe as a Ramsar site would be an advantage for it to be monitored. He said global attention would attract funding for the site.
Mafabi said the global agreement on wetlands encouraged the wise use of wetlands.
He said local governments and the environment ministry would have to clear the application for a Ramsar status.
Byaruhanga said Lutembe Bay harboured over two million white-winged black terns that escape the harsh winter in October and return to Europe in April.
However, he said the largest sanctuary of the migrant birds in the country was under threat from flower firms, including Rosebud, which cultivate flowers in the bay.
Ends