BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” also protects an estimated 320 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked critically endangered Mountain Gorillas, although it is sanctuary for the chimpanzees, many birds and the colobus monkeys. This afromontane forest is one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, and the diversity of species is an attribute of the park. The park provides habitat for some 120 species of mammals ten of which are primates and more than 45 small mammal species, 348 species of birds, 220 species of butterflies, 27 species of frogs, chameleons, geckos and many endangered species. In terms of fauna, the Bwindi area is amongst the most diverse forests in East Africa, with more than 1,000 flowering plant species including 163 species of trees and 104 species of ferns. The northern sector which has a lower altitude is rich in species of the Guineo- Congolian flora. In the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Pro gramme,led by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC) in collaboration with the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS),As a response to the growing interest of young people to undertake concrete actions and to play an active role in the promotion and preservation of World Heritage,UVDA is implementing the World Heritage Volunteers campaign 2016 aimed at raising awareness of young people, volunteers and local communities, about World Heritage related to sustainable development and biodiversity, integrating non-formal education tools on heritage preservation and conservation on the site under the theme “Together for Heritage”. Currently our working lines are:- Work camp (short-term volunteering);Meduim and Long term volunteering;Actions and projects on raising awareness and education;international youth exchanges;projects of international cooperation for development and local groups of volunteers