Implications of land governance on natural resources management : the case of land-use and forest-cover change in Kibaale District, Uganda

The study focused forest-cover change in Kibaale district, as a governance issue. Remote Sensing, socio-economic, and GIS techniques were used. The trends of forest-cover change were quantified for 1986, 1995, 2002, and 2010. It was found that between 1986 and 2010; about 63% of the total forest-cover was lost. In 1986-1995 the mean annual rate of deforestation was 1.8%, reduced to about 0.9% by 2002, and rose to 2.6% by 2010. From 2002 to 2010, it was 7.2%. Key direct drivers involve complex causes tied to land issues. Besides the colonial history, land issues arise from the current governance system. Land administration systems are slow, cumbersome. A land governance response model with some recommendations can counter rapid forest loss.