Conservation and Management of River Catchments : The Role of Land tenure Issues in the Conservation of Kiruruma River Catchments, Kabale District Uganda

Effective management of river catchments is a critical issue that involves a cross section of stakeholders at different scales and backgrounds. River catchments are not only sources of water, but also areas for human habitation,recreation, agricultural production and others. These forms of land use are influenced by various land tenure systems. Kiruruma catchments have been degraded by intensive use of land resources and land tenure plays a crucial role. The definition and enforcement of property rights to land, how they are distributed at the household level to influence soil conservation is crucial. Formal and informal property restrictions and the relationships, rights and revenues of stakeholders are interactively affect the conservation and management in the catchments.