By URN
The National Forestry Authority with support from the World Bank has embarked on the restoration of over five hundred hectares of the degraded forest cover at Bugoma Central Forest Reserve in Kabwoya Sub-County, Kikuube District.
During the restoration process, NFA plans to plant over 411,144 indigenous tree species to replace those that have been cut down.
Christopher Kamuregeya, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) Sector Manager in charge Kisindi, explains thatthey have embarked on a sensitization campaign for residents neighboring the forest reserve adding that actual work will commence in March this year.
Kamuregeya says the restoration exercise targets the villages of Ndongo and Nyairongo in Kaseeta Parish Kabwoya Sub-County that neighbors the forest, and that the NFA has already mapped where the restoration will be carried out . He has also cautioned encroachers to immediately vacate the area so that the forest can be regenerated.
He notes that they are going to plant trees like Maesopsis (musizi), and mahogany among others in this drive.
Desire Nkurunzinza, the LC1 Chairperson for Nyairongo Village has called upon NFA to work with NGOs engaged in environmental protection to ensure the forest is restored.
Boaz Basigirenda the NFA Range Manager in charge Budongo says Bugoma forest needs to be saved from encroachers.
Christine Kusemererwa, a resident of Nyairongo village, says protection and restoration of the degraded forest cover is crucial because the forest attracts rainfall that boosts agriculture in the region.
Rogers Kataleba, a resident of Kyangwali sub county who also neighbors the forest reserve, explains that there is fear that oil and gas activities taking place in the Albertine Graben will increase climate change effects through increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and argues that forests such as Bugoma are needed to act as carbon sinks of the emissions to avoid or mitigate the negative impact of climate change.
Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, covering 410 square kilometres of a protected area, and a stretch of forest measuring 40 kilometres, is a tropical forest in Kikuube district, gazetted in 1932 and taken over by the National Forestry Authority in 2003.
It is endowed with a high Biodiversity with 24 species of mammals, 465 species of trees, 359 species of birds, 289 species of butterflies and 130 species of moths.
The mammals include monkeys, chimpanzees, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs and elephants.
A 2012 Chimpanzee census discovered that 10 per cent of Uganda’s Chimpanzee population was in Bugoma forest.
The forest is also a migratory route for wild animals connecting to game parks and a catchment area for rivers that drain into Lake Albert and river Nguse where government plans to build a hydro power dam.
Situated near the Kingfisher oil field, the Forest is expected to play a crucial role in absorbing the greenhouse gas emissions during oil drilling and also act as a rain modifier to boost agriculture.
In 2016, Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom leased 22 square miles to Hoima Sugar Limited. The sugar factory leased close to 22 square miles of the contested Bugoma Central Forest reserve land from the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom for sugarcane growing for 99 years.
However, the National Environment Management Authority -NEMA found 13 of the 22 square miles, unfit for a sugar plantation and recommended their preservation since it’s a wetland and forest reserve.
As a result, NEMA allowed Hoima Sugar factory to cultivate sugarcane on the remaining 9.24 square miles covering the grassland, establish an urban center on 1.26 square miles, an eco-tourism center on 1.97 square miles, and restore 3.13 square miles of the forest reserve.
They also recommended the preservation of another 0.156 hectares for the cultural site and 6.17 square miles as a natural forest.
However, several conservationists have opposed the move, saying the giveaway is not only a threat to the ecosystem and endangered species but it is likely to hurt tourism activities, which are a source of revenue for the local communities and the country.
Bunyoro Kitara has since explained that the land leased to Hoima Sugar is not part of Bugoma forest but the Kingdom’s ancestral land that is adjacent to the forest reserve.
