Science and Conservation in African Forests: The Benefits of Longterm Research

Tropical forests, like the great apes and other wildlife that inhabit them, are under threat throughout their range. This unique case study from Kibale National Park in Uganda illustrates that a vital aid to forest conservation is the establishment of a long-term research facility. Biological research, of the type pioneered by legendary figures Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey, not only produces important data for the design of management practices, but also has many unanticipated benefits that promote conservation, including improved community relations, positive economic outcomes, and training of future generations. Every well-established study of great apes from Guinea and the Ivory Coast to Tanzania and Rwanda shows the same pattern of benefits. Future environmentalists can use the lessons learned in this book as a model for conservation through research. Book jacket.