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Wakiso, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kakiri town council in Wakiso district has launched a tree-planting campaign to restore the degraded Nonve Central Forest Reserve.
The forest reserve that is under the National Forest Authority-NFA was destroyed by individuals who have partly constructed buildings, planted eucalyptus as well as acquired land titles on it. Last year, the Ministry of Lands issued a notice cautioning individuals and companies who claim ownership of the forest land.
Moses Bisaso, the chairperson of Kakiri town council says that they have embarked on a 5-year campaign to restore the degraded natural reserves and also to mobilize the citizens to protect forest reserves and plant trees. He said that some of the trees will be planted on the 10-acre land which the town council purchased and earmarked as a dumping site.
Bisaso said that during the campaign, fruit trees will be distributed to households to plant.
He adds that the town council will initiate competitions among villages where the best in tree planting and protection would be rewarded.
Moses Kibira, the agricultural officer at the town council said that the campaign is a welcome move saying it would boost good weather. He said the rampant destruction of forests is the leading cause of food insecurity in the area and that any effort to plant trees would help to save the situation.
According to Kibira, the continued destruction of natural forests has caused poverty due to the fact that once a forest or an indigenous tree is cut, they are not replanted in the same way which affects the environment.
Fredrick Kasule from the Ministry of Water and Environment attributed the destruction of forests to lack of sensitization about the benefits of trees.
He also blamed NFA for failing to protect the forests which have worsened the destruction while other forest reserves are destroyed to allow the planting of fast-growing tree species to ensure a constant supply of firewood and timber.
Kasule says that the destruction of natural forests had led to the loss of indigenous trees for herbs as well as habitat for wild animals which can never be recovered.
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