Ramsar Convention
Name of Ramsar site Year of Site Area Conservation
designation No. (Ha.) importance
Lake George System 4/03/1988 394 15,000 Flora and Fauna
Lake Nabugabo Wetland System 11/02/2004 1373 22,000 Bird and Acquatic
Sango Bay-Musambwa Island-Kagera 16/09/2005 1641 6,053 Flora and Bird
Lake Mburo-Nakivali Wetlands System 22/09/2005 1634 25,572 Flora and Fauna
Lake Opeta Wetland System 17/09/2005 1636 68,913 Bird
Mabamba Bay Wetlands System 18/09/2005 1638 2,424 Bird
Nabajjuzi Wetlands System 20/09/2005 1639 54,229 Bird
Guide to Ramsar sites: Mabamba Ramsar site,
Mpigi District (2006)
Lake Bisina Wetland System 15/09/2005 1633 91,150 Bird and Fauna
Lake Nakuwa Wetland System 16/09/2005 1635 108 Bird
Lutembe Bay Wetland System 18/09/2005 1637 20,163 Bird
Murchison Falls Wetlands System 20/09/2005 1640 22,400 Flora and Fauna
Rwenzori Mountains Proposed 22,400 Flora and Fauna
Total area of Ramsar site 307,756
Figure 10: Ramsar sites in Uganda
Credit.........................
Uganda has provided an enabling environment for
the conservation of wetlands through formulation
of appropriate policies, legislation and a ten-year
strategic plan (2000-2010). However, the country
still requires more efforts in fostering sustainable
use of wetlands as well as monitoring and research
to inform the implementation of the convention.
To date the country has implemented several
provisions of the Ramsar Convention which includes;
• Establishment of Wetlands Department in the
Ministry of Water and Environment and existence
of wetlands management institutions at both
national and district levels
• Development of the National Wetlands Policy to
support wetlands conservation
• Incorporation of a section on wetlands in
the National Environment Act, Cap 153,
and development of Environment Management
Regulations (2000) thereunder, to specifically
address wetlands management
• Incorporation of several clauses related to
wetlands in several national legislations such as
the Local Government Act (1997) and Land Act
(1998)
• Preparation of Seventeen (17) guidelines for
wetland policy implementation
• Awareness creation
• Launching and implementation of a 10-year
Wetlands Strategic Plan
The Government is encouraging national and local
Figure 11: Locations of the Ramsar sites in Uganda
governments and non governmental institutions to
design and adopt wise use of wetlands with full participation of
the local communities.
T
he Ramsar Convention, also known as the Conservation
Challenges of Ramsar sites management in Uganda
on Wetlands, is an international treaty on conservation
A number of challenges still remain to realise fully the ability
and wise use of wetlands. Uganda, which joined the
to, and benefits of, implementing the Convention which
Convention in 1988, now has 11 Ramsar sites covering a
include, among others:
surface area of 354,803 hectares. An additional site with a
• Computing land use changes e.g oil exploration in
surface area of 22,400 hectares, named Rwenzori has been
Murchison Falls
proposed for designation (Fig. 10). Globally, the Convention’s
• Government of Uganda still has the challenge of
153 Contracting Parties have designated 1626 Ramsar sites,
clearly demonstrating the benefits of the Ramsar
covering 145,594,013 hectares.
sites to the stakeholders especially the surrounding
local communities.
The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971,
However, there are already visible benefits from these sites
is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework
through increased tourism presumably resulting from the
for national action and international cooperation for the
international publicity that attracts tourists to Uganda who
conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
make the sites as one of their destination.
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