The Nyandungu Eco-Tourism Park, represents the value of restoring urban ecosystems and will serve as a blueprint for other wetlands in Kigali and across the country, said Juliet Kabera, Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), at the launch event. The restoration of the wetland and creation of an eco-tourism park saw the planting of 17 000 trees made up of 55 indigenous species, representing the single largest addition to public green space in the city’s history. The 121-hectare park features a medicinal garden, a Pope’s Garden, five catchment ponds, three recreation ponds, an information centre as well as 10 km of walkways and bike lanes. It will be managed by a private firm QA Venue Solutions, under an agreement reached with the government. The eco-park includes 70 hectares of wetland and 50 hectares of forest and is home to more than 62 local plant species as well as more than 100 bird species.
SOURCE: IOL