Era-Lama

A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species

Era-Lama qualifies as an IPA under criterion A(i), hosting the Endangered cycad, Encephalartos macrostrobilus, which is only known to this site. Additionally, it contains the threatened and economically important species Afzelia africana (VU), Vitellaria paradoxa (VU), and Khaya grandifoliola (VU), further supporting this criterion used within Era-Lama.

The Era-Lama Important Plant Area (IPA) is composed of Era Central Forest Reserve and the adjacent villages north and northeast of the reserve. The adjacent land is communally owned by the local communities. The IPA is located in Moyo and Palorinya sub-counties in the West Madi county, Moyo district (West Nile region) of Uganda. It covers an area of 100 km2 with an altitudinal range of 630 - 1040 m. The IPA is situated on the plateau above the Albert Nile. It is populated predominantly by the ethnic Madi (Donaldson 2010).

Era-Lama lies within the southeastern part of the Sudanian Regional Centre of Endemism (White 1983). The Forest Department surveys yielded 145 species of trees and shrubs in the reserve alone (Davenport & Howard 1996). More extensive studies are required, as these would likely result in higher species richness of the site’s flora, with inclusion of all growth habits, particularly herbaceous species that haven’t been adequately surveyed.

Era-Lama IPA is one of the most important representatives of the Sudanian ecosystems in Uganda (White 1993). It is small-sized but harbours plant species of high national and global importance. This IPA is the only known site for the occurrence of Encephalartos macrostrobilus, a globally Endangered cycad species (Ojelel et al. 2022). The land adjacent to the reserve contains over 90% of the population of this cycad (Ojelel et al. 2022), leaving a much smaller percentage under formal protection.

This IPA also has at least two other globally important plant species, namely Afzelia africana, and Vitellaria paradoxa. Vitellaria paradoxa is a globally vulnerable tree species (Makerere University Institute of Environment and Natural Resources 1998), growing in the woodland habitats of the reserve and surrounding areas. Throughout its range, this species has suffered overexploitation, being used for commercial charcoal production (Boffa et al. 1996; Fondoun & Onana 2001; Kalema & Beentje 2012), and its population in the Era-Lama IPA is facing the same fate. Farmers and the refugees from South Sudan seem to retain individuals of Vitellaria paradoxa on their land, mainly for its valuable shea butter. Khaya grandifoliola, a globally Vulnerable tree species, also occurs in this IPA.

Afzelia africana is also a globally vulnerable species occurring in this IPA (Hills 2020). In Uganda, this species grows in the northern parts of the country, mostly in unprotected sites. While Murchison Falls National Park is the best protected area for this species, Era-Lama IPA is one of the few other PAs this species is found. This species is threatened with charcoal production in Uganda and is in need of more stringent protection measures to avert its decimation.

Coffea liberica var. dewevrei, a coffee wild relative of high potential for supporting and diversifying the coffee sector for climate resilience (Davis et al 2023), was reported by Davenport and Howard (1996), but its continued presence needs verification.

The Era IPA habitat is predominantly woodland growing on granitic rock outcrops. It is variably dominated by Acacia hockii, Combretum adenogonium, C. molle, Amblygonocarpus andongensis, Grewia mollis, with Rhus natalensis, Lannea schimperi, Sterculia setigera. Other vegetation types are wooded grassland, bushland, bushed grassland and open grassland.

The topography is characterized by low plains and rolling hills along the Nile River, at an average altitude of 900 m above sea level rising to a series of hills and peaks. In the general landscape to the northeast are Lobajo, Ayipe, Atiya and Otzi West CFRs at higher elevations. The area receives about 1250 mm of rainfall per annum with a distinct dry period from December to February while November and March have moderate rainfall. The highest temperature recorded was 45°C in the months of January to February and the lowest was 29°C from August to October. The soils are mostly comprised of sandy lithosols (Jones and Wynants 1997). The globally threatened and Ugandan endemic E. macrostrobilus is found in areas covered by sandy lithosols, granitic rock outcrops and with the primary vegetation cover consisting of degraded savanna woodlands and isolated thorn bushes at a canopy height of 5 to 20 m (Jones and Wynants 1997). The habitat also has other globally important plant species namely Afzelia africana (VU), Vitellaria paradoxa (VU) and Dalbergia melanoxylon (NT).

Era IPA includes Era Central Forest Reserve (CFR), managed by NFA and the surrounding community areas in which the cycad grows. All conservation strategies in this IPA need to involve the local communities for success. The Government of Uganda in 2017 through the Ministry of Water and Environment, issued a ban on any cutting, transportation and sale of Afzelia africana and Vitellaria paradoxa tree logs and their products in the country. This ban was informed by the uncontrolled rampant, illegal harvesting. Accordingly, A. africana was assessed as nationally Endangered (MTWA 2018). Khaya grandifoliola is selectively felled and over-exploited for timber production (htttps://prota.prota4u.org> protav8).

A recent survey by Ojelel et al. (2022) recorded 181 mature individuals of Encephalartos macrostrobilus in 43 colonies with a sex ratio of 2:5, female:male (or 28.6% female). This is the smallest population size of the four known and assessed cycad species in Uganda, apparently having declined from previous estimates (see Scott & Wynants 1997, Donaldson 2003), with only a small fraction conclusively sexed. The sex ratio of the population is skewed with the proportion of males more than double higher than that of females. Unfortunately, the habitat is continuously threatened by burning, widespread stone quarrying because of the many granitic rock outcrops, cattle grazing, and tree cutting for charcoal burning. The cycads are directly threatened by frequent burning and use of its seeds for spiritual purposes by some South Sudanese communities. Occasionally, there is cutting of the cycad leaves off the trees for no known purpose (Ojelel et al. 2022). These threats are escalated because over 90% of the population on communally owned land with no form of protection whatsoever. Only a small fraction (<5%) of the population occurs within the Era CFR (Ojelel et al. 2022). There is also illegal entry into the reserve and unabated degradation of the habitat in the whole IPA. This continues to cause a drastic reduction in habitat quality, rendering the cycad unable to recruit juveniles to replenish its population. An increasing rate of tree felling and the subsequent habitat degradation may also limit the presence and abundance of the insect pollinators for the cycad. Outside the reserve, cultivation activities affect the cycad individuals as they are cut down. Conversion of their suitable habitat to agricultural land is reducing their population.
There is a need for long-term research to monitor the expression of sex characteristics among the mature individuals in this cycad population to fully determine the sex ratio. Additional surveys especially towards the South Sudan border will validate the local claims of the presence of additional individuals. In terms of securing the survival of this species, urgent measures ought to be put in place to safeguard the habitat. This could be in the form of a buy-off of the community land and expansion of Era Central Forest Reserve into the adjacent land to cover the whole IPA. There is also a need to create and enhance awareness among the local populace on cycad conservation and explore plausible avenues for incentivizing cycad conservation. Nature-based solutions are needed for the protection of the cycad and the entire biodiversity in the area, as well as ensuring sustainable community livelihoods. Socio-economic benefits, e.g. through income-generating initiatives such as eco-tourism based on the cycad, need to be explored.

The seeds of Encephalartos macrostrobilus are used as beads, which are worn by children from South Sudanese communities as they are believed to dispel bad omens (Ojelel et al. 2022). Among the local community, a limited number of residents have planted it as an ornamental plant (Alule, H. pers. comm., 2018). More generally, Era-Lama IPA provides a number of ecosystem services. The IPA serves the role of stabilizing the soils and maintaining the general hydrology of the area. There is tree cutting to provide firewood and produce charcoal, pasture for cattle, granite stones for construction, and hut construction materials such as thatch grass, fibres, reeds, poles, etc.

Assessed by:

Samuel Ojelel, Makerere University Herbarium

James Kalema, Makerere University Herbarium

Sophie Richards, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Iain Darbyshire, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Date of first assessment: 30th Dec 2024

Reviewed by:

Herbert Alule-Amudra, Moyo District Local Government