Lalak Central Forest Reserve

UGATIPA30
Lalak Central Forest Reserve

Country: Uganda

Administrative region: Northern (Region)

Central co-ordinates: 3.62318 N, 32.75930 E

Qualifying IPA Criteria

C(iii)Site contains nationally threatened or restricted habitat or vegetation types, AND/OR habitats that have severely declined in extent nationally

IPA assessment rationale

Lalak CFR triggers sub-criterion C(iii) of the IPA criteria, as it contains >10% of the national resource of lowland bamboo habitat a critically endangered habitat within Uganda, as well as being one of the best 5 sites nationally for the habitat. Further botanical inventory of the site is required to assess Lalak CFR under criteria A and B.

Site description

Lalak Central Forest Reserve (CFR) is located along the Achwa river range in Lamwo district, Northern Uganda. It encompasses the Lalak rock formation, rising to 1752 m, and is approximately 10 km running north to south and spans just under 3 km from east to west (Cole & Forrest 2022). It is one of several inselbergs which flank the south of the Agoro-Agu mountains, containing the Agoro-Agu IPA in Uganda and which is part of the Imatong mountain range which extends into South Sudan. The next closest mountain is Lamwa, 11 km to the east, reaching 1879 m in elevation.

The region is generally hot and dry, alternating between dry and rainy seasons, with temperatures reaching as high as 27C, and as low as 17C. The rainy season in the region spans March through November, with the highest average rainfall peaking in April and August. December through to mid-March marks the dry season, characterised by wind and dry heat.

This IPA also includes areas to the north of the original delimitation of the CFR, where nationally rare lowland bamboo habitat has been identified. Further fieldwork is required to assess the extent of lowland bamboo that is viable, and so the site boundary may be refined in the future.

Botanical significance

xxx

Habitat and geology

xxx

Conservation issues

xxx

Ecosystem services

xxx

Site assessor(s)

IPA criterion C qualifying habitats

Habitat Qualifying sub-criterion ≥ 5% of national resource ≥ 10% of national resource 1 of 5 best sites nationally Areal coverage at site
Lowland Bamboo (CR) C(iii) False True True

Lowland Bamboo (CR)

Qualifying sub-criterion:
C(iii)
≥ 5% of national resource:
False
≥ 10% of national resource:
True
Areal coverage at site:

General site habitats

General site habitat Percent coverage Importance
Savanna - Dry Savanna 60 Major
Savanna - Moist Savanna 1 Major
Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Lowland Grassland 5 Minor
Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland 1 Unknown
Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers, Streams, Creeks [includes waterfalls] 2 Major
Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers, Streams, Creeks 1 Minor
Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands [generally over 8 ha] No value Unknown

Savanna - Dry Savanna

Percent coverage:
60
Importance:
Major

Savanna - Moist Savanna

Percent coverage:
1
Importance:
Major

Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Lowland Grassland

Percent coverage:
5
Importance:
Minor

Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland

Percent coverage:
1
Importance:
Unknown

Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers, Streams, Creeks [includes waterfalls]

Percent coverage:
2
Importance:
Major

Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers, Streams, Creeks

Percent coverage:
1
Importance:
Minor

Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands [generally over 8 ha]

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Unknown

Land use types

Land use type Percent coverage Importance
Agriculture (arable) 25 Unknown
Agriculture (aquatic) No value Unknown
Forestry 15 Unknown
Tourism / Recreation No value Unknown
Agriculture (pastoral) No value Minor
Nature conservation 5 Minor

Agriculture (arable)

Percent coverage:
25
Importance:
Unknown

Agriculture (aquatic)

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Unknown

Forestry

Percent coverage:
15
Importance:
Unknown

Tourism / Recreation

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Unknown

Agriculture (pastoral)

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Nature conservation

Percent coverage:
5
Importance:
Minor

Threats

Threat Severity Timing
Residential & commercial development - Housing & urban areas Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Agriculture & aquaculture - Wood & pulp plantations - Small-holder plantations Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Agriculture & aquaculture - Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Biological resource use - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - Persecution/control Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Natural system modifications - Fire & fire suppression Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Geological events - Earthquakes/tsunamis Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Biological resource use - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown
Biological resource use - Gathering terrestrial plants - Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) Unknown Ongoing - trend unknown

Residential & commercial development - Housing & urban areas

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Agriculture & aquaculture - Wood & pulp plantations - Small-holder plantations

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Agriculture & aquaculture - Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Biological resource use - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - Persecution/control

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Natural system modifications - Fire & fire suppression

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Geological events - Earthquakes/tsunamis

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Biological resource use - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Biological resource use - Gathering terrestrial plants - Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)

Severity:
Unknown
Timing:
Ongoing - trend unknown

Protected areas

Protected area name Protected area type Relationship with IPA Areal overlap
Lalak Central Forest Reserve Forest Reserve (conservation) protected/conservation area encompasses IPA No value

Lalak Central Forest Reserve

Protected area type:
Forest Reserve (conservation)
Relationship with IPA:
protected/conservation area encompasses IPA
Areal overlap:
No value

Recommended citation

(2024) Tropical Important Plant Areas Explorer: Lalak Central Forest Reserve (Uganda). https://tipas.kew.org/site/lalak-central-forest-reserve/ (Accessed on 07/11/2024)