Nyandungu Urban Eco-tourism Park
Region
Africa
Country
Rwanda
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Initiative
WLI Africa
About
Nyandungu grey crowned cranes
Name of organisation
Nyandungu Urban Eco-tourism Park
Funding support
Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Italian Ministry for Ecological Transition.
Number of staff
30
Number of visitors per year
2,500
Overall aims of the centre
Overall aims of the centre
- To promote sustainable management of natural resources and support livelihood diversification to enhance incomes for local communities through its transformation into eco-tourism Park;
- To raise awareness of wetland conservation and protection, and create green jobs;
- To increase biodiversity (bird, insect, reptile, amphibian, mammal and plant species) in City of Kigali, Nyandungu wetland complex through its restoration and rehabilitation;
- To facilitate environmental education activities such as field visit and research;
- To promote biodiversity conservation through education for an indefinite period;
- To demonstrate wetland management techniques and green technologies that can be used in Rwanda’s secondary cities and rural area, and its scalability as a model for other wetlands;
- To promote local/native plants species for ornamental purpose
Description of the centre
Size of site: 121.89 ha.
Types of habitats and species supported: The park is characterized by savannah scrub and marshland. After its restoration, and it is now providing a sanctuary for bird, amphibian, reptile, fish and mammal species. The park has more than 60 indigenous tree species planted.
Activities run: A recreational area, an information center, restaurant, pedestrian walkways, water catchment ponds, paved road, nature-viewing areas, and picnic areas.
Exhibits: Medicinal plants garden, Pope’s garden, tree identification signs / plant identification signs and a native tree nursery.
Location of the site: The Nyandungu wetland complex is located on the outskirts of the City of Kigali. (Rwanda, City of Kigali, Gasabo-Kicukiro Districts, Road:RN3-KK3).
Nyandungu wetland
Work Areas
Main CEPA work area
1. Park offers free entry to school groups and on quiet days (i.e. mid-week) the park will offer free entry to local community members from the lower Ubudehe Categories;
2. Development of a full business / long-term management plan for the park in conjunction with stakeholders and technical experts to ensure that the park continues to serve its desired purposes of flood and pollution control and biodiversity conservation.
Top three successes
1. The project displays different outputs namely biodiversity conservation through the introduction of native tree species and terrestrial habitat restoration, creation of botanical gardens mostly for educational purposes, promoting traditional ecological knowledge, aquatic habitat creation;
2. Restoration of the degraded wetland which led to significant increasing of bird, mammal and amphibian species in Nyandungu wetland complex;
3. The restoration of the wetland has brought job opportunities to the surrounding community, and the park itself will also create green jobs for the community.
Top three challenges
1. Numerous encroachments from the surrounding community especially cattle grazing;
2. The wetland was receiving different forms pollution such as solid and liquid waste coming from the surrounding community and the industrial zone.
Nyandungu display
Expertise
Interpretation techniques
Creating signage; site information; Producing written materials
Visitor centres
Setting up a new visitor centre; Managing / creating habitat
Participation
Working with disabled people; Engaging hard-to-reach groups; Engaging young people; Engaging the local community
Education and communication
Early years education; Working with primary schools; Working with secondary schools; Developing resources / materials
General
Auditing / assessing effectiveness; PR and marketing; Running effective administration.
Nyandungu entrance
Contact
Website address: https://www.rema.gov.rw
Cyubahiro Eric, Inyota House KG7 AVE/ P.O.BOX 7436 Kigali-Rwanda
email: ecyubahiro@rema.gov.rw
Tel: (+250)785177892
Nyandungu pathway
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