Forest Management Working Paper 29

Experience in the elaboration, implementation
and follow-up of forest management plans using computers,
computer software and other technological packages

The Case of
Mt Elgon UWA/FACE Carbon Sequestration Project
in Uganda

Based on the work by:
Sean White and Frederick Wanyama
with inputs from Associate Prof. Joseph Obua

April 2006

Disclaimer

The Forest Management Working Papers report on issues addressed in the work programme of FAO. These working papers do not reflect any official position of FAO. Please refer to the FAO website (www.fao.org/fo) for official information.

The purpose of these papers is to provide early information on ongoing activities and programmes, facilitate dialogue and stimulate discussion.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

For further information please contact:
Mr Froylán Castañeda,
Forestry Officer (Tropical Forest Management)
Forest Resources Development Service Forest Resources Division
Forestry Department
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla I-00100 Rome (Italy)
E-mail: [email protected]

Contents

(Download PDF 571Kb)

SUMMARY

1. BACKGROUND
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Ugandan forests
1.3 Background to carbon forestry and the UWA/FACE project

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA/REGION OF THE CASE STUDY
2.1 Location and geology
2.2 Climate and hydrology
2.3 Soils
2.4 Flora and fauna and conservation status
2.5 Forest types and vegetation zones on Mt Elgon
2.6 Socio-economic environment
2.7 Management history of Mt Elgon forest
2.8 Use of computers in forestry in Uganda

3. THE UWA/FACE PROJECT
3.1 Origins
3.2 UWA/FACE contractual arrangements
3.3 Project organization
3.4 Development of the management plan
3.5 Planning activities prior to field data collection
3.6 Post-field data collection activities
3.7 Pre-planning activities leading to improvement of the degraded forest

4. COMPUTERIZED AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE USED IN MANAGEMENT OF THE FOREST
4.1 Staff capacity to use computer systems
4.2 Computer hardware and software
4.3 Using GIS in planning reforestation areas
4.4 Planning and locating nurseries
4.5 Monitoring and Information System (MONIS)
4.6 Compiling feature attribute data for MONIS
4.7 Compiling compartment maps
4.8 Other data for MONIS
4.9 Inventory/biomass measurement
4.10 Forest management plan structure

5. SILVICULTURE AND FUTURE MANAGEMENT
5.1 Silvicultural aspects of forest establishment
5.2 Forest protection
5.3 Managing the forest community interface

6. MEASURING THE RATE OF CARBON SEQUESTRATION
6.1 Measurement of CO2 sequestration carried out in 1998

7. COSTS AND BENEFITS
7.1 Planting versus natural regeneration
7.2 Cost benefit of the computer systems
7.3 Carbon costs

8. ASSESSMENT OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEMS USED
8.1 MONIS
8.2 Use of GPS for mapping and data capture
8.3 ArcView GIS
8.4 Calculation of surface area, slope and aspect using ILWIS
8.5 Potential of Field-Map for sample plot measurement and inventory
8.6 Socio-economic impacts of using computers and computerized systems and software in forest management planning

9. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

10. REFERENCES