HighlightsBiochar does not affect soil aggregation on the humid Ultisol within two years.Biochar, when applied with T. diversifolia, increased soil aggregation.Mineral fertilizer reduced macro-aggregate stability in the short-term.SOC increases in the micro-aggregates but reduces in macro-aggregates.

Conservation and sustainable use of Protected Areas (PAs) requires concerted effort of both conservation stewards and local communities. Crop raiding is a major constraint to both of them. Farmers loose large amount of their crops to wild animals from the PAs while conservation stewards are challenged by how to win local support for successful conservation efforts to be realized. This contribution reviews literature on nature and extent of crop raiding form some PAs and how local communities and conservation stewards respond to the problem. An assessment of the methods used by various researchers to measure the extent of crop raiding and some recommendation for further research are made.

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This study was conducted in Nangabo sub-county of Wakiso district. The purpose was to document the common Traditional Medicine (TM) practices; assess the local people's preferences for TM versus western medicine (WM) and lastly to determine the awareness about the importance of TM by local people. Data were collected using semi-structured administered face-to-face with respondents. A total of 120 interviewed. Six focused group discussions (FGDs) were held to validate the questionnaire responses. Data were analyzed descriptively using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings indicated that most (43%) respondents derive their livelihoods from traditional medicine practices. Three forms of TM were reportedherbalism (67%), spiritual counseling (23%) and bone setting (10%). Although the majority (81%) of respondents were quite aware of the importance of TM in the sustenance of health care system, majority (55%) of them shunned TM in preference to WM, largely because of the belief that TM is evil-founded and devilish in nature. Only 45% of the respondents preferred TM to WM. The main reasons given for visiting TM practioners rather than western medical practitioners were that TM is sometimes more effective than WM and that in many instances it has very minimal side effects on the human body. There is, however, a need for Ugandan government to legitimize the practice of TM since it contributes a lot to health care needs in areas where western medicine is insufficiently provided. In addition, there is a need for further research into the efficacy and safety of traditional medicines if it is to be adequately integrated into western medicine.

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