Kisang'a-Lugalo Forest Reserve: Trip II

 

Bracken highland with some views.

It had been several years since we last visited Kisang'a-Lugalo Forest Reserve so we figured it was due time we return (Trip I). We had big plans that included camping at a river but we ended up reducing the trip to a simple day trip. The ride up was beautiful though the views were not as clear as we remembered, probably due to extensive burning in the area. If you're the adventurous type the trip up is worth the journey. 

When we entered into the forest reserve we immediately met a truck filling up with timber. The workers explained that they were harvesting eucalyptus trees (planted in the past to demarcate the border) and that they had received permission to use the forest reserve road. It was a weird interaction but they invited me to view their plot of land, which I declined. We continued on the road through a nice part of forest until we reached a beautiful area with several montane grasses and plants. The clear views allowed us to survey the forest and we began to see signs of previous logging and heavy human use. We continued down a very steep road to a small river. On our previous trip we were told there was an irrigation project in the area and sure enough we saw a water catchment system and massive pipe running down from it. We were a little disappointed as we had imagined setting camp next to a quaint stream in the forest and instead we were faced with a bit of an eye sore in a cleared patch of secondary forest. We had identified another possible camp site next to a stream earlier in the road so we decided to double back. 

On our way back we followed two newly cut logging tracks. One of them we followed until we reached another eucalyptus cutting ground and another we followed until we heard the sounds of chainsaws. We found stacks of planks on the road and decided to not pursue any further. Our mood had soured with the sounds of chainsaws and lack of walking trails and as a result we decided to head back home. I think the prospect of setting up camp at 4pm in a non-forested area with the sounds of chainsaws was not what we had in mind. Although it was disturbing for us as tourists it is a good thing that the trees can be harvested and provide some economic value to the nearby inhabitants. However, cutting new tracks through forests is not only less than ideal due to the obvious cutting of trees and shrubs but these roads also tend to open up the forest to other extraction activities (pole cutting, honey harvesting, etc). 

Most of the forest reserves in the area have been heavily logged and continue to be exploited for mostly small scale use. We are still keen to explore these areas but I suppose we have to taper our expectations and be ready for anything!

Views going south.

Water catchment system.