Makerere University Biological Field Station
Makerere University Biological Field Stations
Makerere University Biological Field Station is located in Kibale National Park in Fort portal. It is mainly involved in research but it is increasingly hosting short international courses in Tropical Biology. Originally, most of the research at MUBFS was primatology but over the years, the research agenda has broadened to include ecological and behavioral research on taxes, and socio economic studies. There is adequate dormitory and guest house space for groups ranging between 10 and 60.
History of the station
The original name of the field station was Kibale Forest Project funded by the New York Zoological Society (currently known as Wildlife Conservation Society). The field site was established in 1970 by Dr. Thomas Struhsaker at Kanyawara near the Forest Department Field Station. He came to Uganda to study the behavioral ecology of the Uganda red colobus (Procolobus rufomitratus) an endangered species. With eleven species of sympatric primate species, Dr. Struhsaker soon realized that Kibale offered a great opportunity for comparative studies on the behavioral ecology of the various primate species in the area. The diversity of primate species attracted more researchers and this made Kibale an internationally important site for primatological research. As time went on, research expanded to include studies on rodents, insects and forest gap dynamics, crop raiding and the interactions between the park and the human communities surrounding the park.
Although Kibale Forest Project was never advertised as a destination for tourists, people learnt about the place through published research. In the mid 1980s visitors started arriving at the station mostly uninvited and unexpected. To avoid the research site form becoming a tourism area and not to disappoint those who came to Kibale as tourists, the idea of establishing a tourist center at Kanyanchu, currently a popular tourist destination in Uganda was initiated by the researchers at Kanyawara.
The objectives of Kibale Forest Project were Research, Education and Conservation and are still upheld up to present. As research progressed, the researchers realized that they could not work in isolation from the neighboring communities and national institutions. An outreach program was initiated to teach conservation to the local communities and schools. They also helped in distributing tree seeds and seedlings in an effort to encourage people grow their own trees. On the conservation front, Kibale Forest Project helped the Forest Department in patrolling the forest for increased law enforcement and also lobbied government to elevate the conservation status of Kibale Forest.
Prior to his departure in 1987, Dr. Struhsaker arranged to hand over the project to Makerere University for its long-term survival. At this time Kibale Forest Project became Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS)
The Mission of MUBFS
This was agreed upon in a stake holders meeting that took place at Kanyawara 5-7 February 1998 and it is as follows:
The Makerere University Biological Field Station is committed to undertaking and providing opportunities for high quality, multi-disciplinary research and education in tropical ecosystems, with the underlying objective of contributing to the conservation and development needs of Kibale National Park and its surrounding ecological and human communities.
Facilities and Accessibility
MUBFS is located in Kibale National Park; it has two research sites. The main research site is located at Kanyawara and a smaller camp at Ngogo which is only a three to four hours.