Title: Exploring the collaboration of local communities and other stakeholders on wetland conservation in Apac municipality, Uganda: Challenges and opportunities

Wetland degradation is widespread throughout Uganda due to the dependence of communities on wetlands resources for their livelihood. The increasing population is a threat to wetland biodiversity and calls for concerted efforts to conserve it. Uganda for a long time has had laws and policies to conserve and manage its wetlands, but wetland degradation has not stopped. This study sought to understand how the current collaboration between local communities and government institutions could be improved with an emphasis on how these two bodies perceive the current management of wetlands, especially in Apac Municipality where the study was conducted. Qualitative methods were used in this study whereby 15 respondents, including nine wetland users and six representatives from the authorities, were interviewed with open-ended questions to obtain their opinion. The findings revealed that there is an established management framework and institutions for managing wetlands under a decentralised government system, but the management approach is majorly top-down where the government and municipalities make decisions for the communities on wetland use with little consideration of local initiatives. Other factors, such as climate change and low levels of awareness of wetland laws, were also found to contribute to wetland degradation. This study suggests that engagement through bottom-up approaches coupled with increased levels of awareness among wetland stakeholders could improve wetland conservation.