The Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC) is a lead Ugandan research institution working primarily for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in and around the protected areas of the Albertine Rift ecoregion – an area with a significant concentration of globally unique biodiversity in Africa.
The institute was established in 1991 as a semi-autonomous unit of Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). ITFC’s mission is to lead in the implementation and support of conservation-oriented research, monitoring and training that strengthen the protection and management of Albertine Rift montane rainforests and biodiversity.
ITFC is located miles away from MUST main campus, at the eastern edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in Ruhija Town Council of Rubanda District, Southwestern Uganda.
The rationale for the formation of ITFC under MUST was the need for a permanent research station in the “Afromontane” rainforest which is considered the rarest and most important vegetation type for biodiversity conservation in Africa but is little studied. The montane forests are all small islands surrounded by some of the highest rural human population densities in Africa.
The ability of isolated islands of these forests to survive in the long term, when surrounded by dense human populations that largely depend on natural resources for their livelihoods, is unknown. Having a long-term presence in such an ecosystem has an advantage in that it allows data collection over time so that a long-term database is established. Long-term data sets are what make established field research stations very valuable places.
The institute’s core function is to initiate and implement a range of research and monitoring projects and programmes aimed at addressing major conservation threats and challenges. ITFC also provides research opportunities and supervision to graduate students, researchers and conservationists/practitioners.
In addition, the institute offers technical support and guidance to the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the National Forestry Authority and other conservation agencies in the region to ensure research results and recommendations are translated into management decisions and actions.
Lastly, ITFC serves as a base for visiting researchers from Uganda and beyond.