WWF, NFA partner with community to conserve environment

 

WWF, NFA partner with community to conserve environment

 

By Moses Kyaiswa

Kagadi

The National Forestry Authority (NFA) with support from the ‘’Jane Good All Institute and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Uganda are engaging the community in an ambitious cover restoration drive of the heavily degraded Kagombe and Bugoma Forest Reserves in one of the Uganda’s most fragile and Biodiversity-rich areas.

The Bugoma-Kagome landscape also covers five districts including Kagadi, Kikuube, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo and Kibaale.

The forest reserves have been degraded for agricultural land use, illegal timber logging, charcoal burning and human settlement.

Degraded Kakombe forest

Last year, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) with support from the ‘’Jane Good All Institute” agreed with community members to jointly conserve and protect Kangombe central forest reserve in meeting presided over by the Board Chairperson NFA, Dr. Eng Christopher Ebal.

Similarly the ambitious 20-year-project worth (about sh14bn) has also been launched supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature Uganda with funding from VELUX Group, Denmark.

The project was launched last year by area Member of Parliament and the finance minister, Matia Kasaija, and the state minister of environment Beatrice Anywar aiming at regenerating/restoration of the most deforested natural forests.

State minister of environment Beatrice Anywar launching restoration of Kagombe forest reserve

Minister Anywar calls upon the community to work together with the implementers of the project and ensure that the degraded parts of Kagombe and Bugoma forest reserves are restored adding that this can also be applied to restore forests in the country.

According to Mr. David Duli, WWF-Uganda, Country Director unsustainable agricultural use alone has led to over 70% reduction of the forest area in the Kagombe region, while more than half has been lost in Bugoma.

Duli says Kagombe Forest Reserve was one of the important biodiversity reach sites in Uganda before it was encroached in 2021.

In an interview with the encroachers, told our reporter that they encroached on the forest reserves due to lack of enough land for cultivations.

However, regrets for destroying the forest saying they are facing number of challenges ranging from limited herbal medicine and rainfall.

Meanwhile leaders say are optimistic that with the NFA’s effort the forests will rejuvenate adding that that are committed to engaging locals in tree planting with the major purpose of conservation.

About “Good All Institute”

James Byamukama, the Executive Director of ’Jane Good All Institute‘’ said they intend to restore 1800 hectares of the destroyed forest cover.

He asked local communities to support the drive so as to restore God’s Creation of both Natural Vegetation and Wild life.

Byamukama says that such collaborative measures are the way to go to bring the community into conservation and protection of the forests in Uganda. 

Government leaders

Tumusiime Benjamin, the deputy Kagadi Resident District Commissioner (RDC) welcomed the intervention of NFA and its Partners for their deliberate move towards restoring forest reserves. 

He warned the locals against encroaching on the central forest reserves.

Deputy RDC Kagadi urging communities to participate in the forest restoration

The Kagadi district chairperson, Ndibwami B Yosia says that allowing communities to participate in the management of the reserves will help bring an end to the rampant illegal logging activities whereby the timber dealers pay some money to the people who aid them into the forests.

Wetland conservation

President Yoweri Museveni is calling upon communities living around rivers and lakes to leave protection zones of 100 metres and 200 metres respectively.

The president said this will protect the integrity of these fragile ecosystems, keep the water clean and protect against silting.

Museveni is warning the general public and investors against encroaching on wetlands

 

 President Museven launching wetland conservation

He says the structures constructed in wetlands block water, which can lead to severe floods threatening that government shall undertake studies to foster environment conservation because of the increasing industrialization in the country.

He tasked political leaders and enforcement teams mandated with ensuring good environmental practices to block investors from constructing more factories in wetlands.