ITFC coordinates research and monitoring in Uganda’s Mountain gorilla homelands –including the Ugandan portion of the Virunga Volcanoes. This wider region has hosted many pioneering conservation efforts combining tourism, trust funds and integrated conservation and development activities.

Specifically, the following monitoring activities have been ITFC’s responsibility;

• Resource use monitoring (Bwindi, Mgahinga, see for example Bitariho et al., 2006).
  Water quality and quantity of streams (Bwindi, Mgahinga, Kibale and Rwenzori National Parks). (Freshwater systems, and their biodiversity, are under assault globally and especially in tropical forest regions (Dudgeon et al., 2006). ITFC has long experience in monitoring and evaluating the hydrological function and aquatic ecosystems of the GVL, see for example (Kasangaki et al., 2006).

• Fire (Bwindi, Mgahinga): ITFC has mapped burnt areas, with assistance of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) staff, since 1999.

• Regular censuses of the mountain gorilla population - in collaboration with a number of partners, ITFC has lead census of the Bwindi population every 4-5 years, and participated in censuses of the Virunga population.

• Crop raiding patterns at two sites in Bwindi where different “problem animal” control methods are being piloted.

• Kabiranyuma swamp monitoring (Mgahinga). Observations are made twice a year.

• Long term breeding performance of Stripe Breasted Tits (Parus fasciiventer); since 1995, ITFC records nesting box use (currently 60) and breeding behaviour (see Shaw, 2003). The University of St. Andrews is co-investigator.

Other monitoring activities that ITFC is involved in with partners: 

• Ranger Based Monitoring (RBM) for animal sightings and illegal activities (Bwindi, Mgahinga). The International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP) initiated this activity and trained UWA staff. ITFC assists UWA with analysis. (Ranger based monitoring is a simple approach to threat identification that is intended to operate with little external support. The approach requires capacity building but also empowers local staff to more effectively conduct park management activities (Gray & Kalpers, 2005)).

• Weather data is daily collected by UWA rangers at 7 outpost stations (5 in Bwindi and 2 in Mgahinga). ITFC bought and installed the instruments. Twice per year, an ITFC research officer goes and checks the equipment and collects the data at the stations. ITFC has also been taking care of data archiving and analyses.

• Gorillas (Bwindi); Max Planck Institute (MPI, permanently represented at ITFC since 1998), daily monitors two groups of Bwindi’s mountain gorilla population and carries out long term research on gorilla ecology and demographic patterns. (These long term studies lead by the Max Planck Institute, and facilitated by ITFC, have led to many valuable publications on the mountain gorillas (Arnold et al., 2003; Ganas & Robbins, 2004, 2005; Ganas et al., 2004; Kalpers et al., 2003; Stanford & Nkurunungi, 2003).

• MPI also collects monthly data on phenology and biomass of gorilla food plants, initiated in 2004, and thus built a comprehensive database.

• Community attitudes to protected areas (Bwindi and Mgahinga); this builds on work by and with others including CARE, UWA and IGCP.