In 1995 the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), of the United Nations estimated that African forests accounted for some 15 percent of the world total and that half of the continent's potential forest cover had been converted to other forms of land use. Over the period 1980 to 1995, Africa experienced a greater percentage of forest loss than any other region in the world, and in the decade from 1980 some 40 million hectares of natural forest were cleared or degraded.

This book originated from the training component of the EC funded Natural Forests Management and Conservation Project, the first phase of which was implemented within the Uganda Forest Department from 1988 to 1995. One of the main tasks undertaken was a series of in-service courses, introducing Forest Officers to nature conservation issues as they relate to forest management. These training courses were co-ordinated by the author of this book and by Mr. Edward Mupada of the Uganda Forest Department and were run by the co-ordinators and staff of Nyabyeya Forestry College.

There are many misconceptions about what conservation is all about, which can all too easily prejudice our views towards it. It is therefore important to note that conservation is now typically defined as the management of human use of organisms or ecosystems so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit to present generations, while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations (IUCN/UNEP/WWF, 1991).

Biodiversity is a contraction of the term biological diversity, and refers to the variety of life in all its forms, levels and combinations (IUCN / UNEP / WWF, 1991) or to the total variety of life on earth. Although the word is quite new, the idea is not: to many people, there is little difference between biodiversity and wildlife. However, biodiversity refers to more than simply the total number of species of plants and animals, although this is how it is often used.

A rare species is one whose total population is comprised of relatively few individuals. Rarity can be considered at various levels, such as local, national and global. In general, species which are globally rare are worthy of greater conservation effort than those that are only locally rare but common elsewhere.

In Chapter 2 we discussed how different parts of the globe support different numbers of species. For instance, there are more species in the tropics than at higher latitudes. Chapters 2 and 3 also discussed how different species are not equally widely distributed: some are found very widely, while others are very localised.

This chapter aims to provide the reader with the ecological knowledge that is considered important for anyone seeking to develop a working understanding of conservation and of natural forest management. Although it is possible to manage natural forests without in-depth ecological understanding, experiences from around the world suggest that, in the long term at least, such management will fail. No-one would suggest that forests are best managed exclusively by ecologists, but in ecology must play its part.

Despite growing awareness that tropical forests are priorities for nature conservation because of all the species they support, it is clear that few countries in the tropics will be able to afford to designate more than a small proportion of those forests as preservation areas (National Parks, Strict Nature Reserves etc.). Much of the remainder of the permanent forest estate is likely to be put under some sort of management, and timber production is likely to be one of the main activities. One of the objectives of conservation, therefore, must be to try and ensure that natural forest management for timber production is carried out in such a way that most of the wildlife survives.

In Chapter 6 we saw how natural forest management can have important consequences for nature conservation: if it is done badly, then it can be very damaging, but if it is done well, then it can be fairly benign. In this chapter, we want to consider how to make sure that management of the natural forest estate is carried out in as "wise" a way as possible, so that it fits in with the overall aim of sustainable development. In doing so, we will need to bear in mind the ten principles that should be common to all forms of environmental management (Box 7.1).

This chapter looks at the implications of tree planting, whether on farms or in plantations, for nature conservation. We have already seen that deforestation and poor management of natural forests is generally very harmful for nature conservation. But what role does tree planting have in nature conservation?

Economics is traditionally viewed as a method for understanding how best to make money from what are known as the "three factors of production": land, labour and capital. The objective of most enterprises, whether by individuals, companies or governments, is to maximise profits.

A tourist can be defined as a voluntary, temporary traveller, travelling in the expectation of pleasure for the novelty and change experienced on a relatively large and non-recurrent round-trip (Lea, 1988). Tourism can be defined as the practice of travelling for pleasure, together with the business of providing services for such travellers. International tourism is mainly a phenomenon of the late twentieth century, and shows no signs of diminishing yet.

Forest policy in Uganda has a long history, not that much shorter than that of the Forest Department itself. Policies are established to keep management in line with the perceived long-term objectives of the state. As Kamugisha (1993) put it, policy is "...a general statement of aims or desirable goals in relation to given circumstances. As Kamugisha (1993) put it, policy is "...a general statement of aims or desirable goals in relation to given circumstances. It is stated and approved by government, for use by the appropriate government institutions to guide all their activities...".

Protected areas are areas of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means (IUCN, 1994). Not all protected areas are preservation areas: some allow for extraction of certain renewable resources such as timber, while others allow for multiple use by a whole range of user groups. But whatever the details of management, the main purposes of management of protected areas generally include one or more of the following (IUCN, 1994).

In this chapter we explore some of the issues surrounding local use of the forest and how this relates to nature conservation. First we look at to what extent local people make use of the forest, then at how compatible this may be with nature conservation objectives, and finally we look at some of the options open to managers of forests to involve local people in management while at the same time promoting conservation.

The forest estate of any country, Uganda included, is not homogeneous. Different forests support different forest types and species; some are larger than others; some are surrounded by dense rural populations; some are near main roads or towns. If we decide that we would like to have a rational system of management that ensures that all that is of conservation value is protected, then how do we decide which parts of the forest estate to protect? It is generally unrealistic to try to protect everything, because conservation (like most forms of management) costs time and money and resources.

Pressure on forest resources is increasing rapidly in Uganda as in many developing countries, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It is therefore important that the existence of Forest Reserves is justified by ensuring that they can provide for a range of uses, rather than just one. It is clear that, while demand for timber is high and rising, demand for other products and services from the forest, such as supplying building poles, firewood, clean water, soil protection services, amenity opportunities and wildlife conservation, is often just as high or higher.

This book has been about nature conservation in tropical forests. Although it has been written with particular reference to Uganda, it is hoped that the principles can be applied more widely. It was written at a period in our history when plants, animals and forests are vanishing at an unprecedented rate worldwide.