DEFORESTATION IN UGANDA

Deforestation is the increased extinction of the forest resource. In Uganda the forests are on a decrease. About 100 years ago, the land of Uganda was having 12% covered by forests but now is estimated at 5%.

It should be noted that currently 21% of the original forests is remaining and 79% cleared. Most of the cleared forests are found in central region and in the west.

Map of Uganda showing mostly destructed forests

FACTORS/CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION IN UGANDA

• Rapid population growth, Uganda experiences a high population of 34.4 million people and the increasing population in areas such as kigezi, Mbale, Bugishu has led to high demand for land for settlement thus destroying forests like Mabira, Kibale, mt. Elgon forests, etc.
• Forests are major sources of biomass in form of fire wood and charcoal especially in rural areas. This has led to cutting down forests like Mabira, Bugongo and Maramagambo.
• The increasing demand for timber for furniture, building and construction has led to clearing parts of Kibale forest, Kalinju and Budongo which are accessible.
• Burning of forests especially by hunters, farmers and grazers has destroyed Mwenge forest reserve, mt. Rwenzori forests and Luwero forests. Also many hectares of forests of Aber and Opit in Gulu were burnt in 1982 by locals.
• Ignorance of the people especially in the rural areas like in Kibale and Kigezi, who have inadequate knowledge about the value of forests. Such simply destroy forests because they look at them as obstacles to more meaningful land use.
• Corruption in the forest department in form of bribes, illegal sale of timber, illegal lumbering, thus clearing mostly soft wood trees like Mafuga.
• Political insecurity where forests have been cleared to check on insecurity like in 1980s Luwero forests were cut down, Nyamityobora forest in Mbarara, etc for security reasons.
• Limited resources invested in the forest department leading to inefficient equipments used, limited rangers, wardens and other staff to monitor forests and reduce on encroachment on forests like Mabira, Budongo and others.
• Pests and diseases which have led to clearing forests to destroy tsetse flies like in southern Busoga, Bunya forest in Mayuge and kibale forests.
• Over grazing of both domestic and wild animals like kadama forest reserves, Timu and Morongole in Karamoja area. Also Aber and Agwata forests are facing illegal grazing by the Iteso pastoralists.
• The use of traditional and rudimentary tools in felling trees like axes and pangas has caused deforestation. Foristance Mafuga and Muko forest reserve have been destroyed by felling immature trees.
• The need for more land for cultivation like Bugala forest was cut down by BIDCO to plant palm oil trees, and Kakira and Lugazi sugar estates cleared part of Mabira forest for sugar cane plantations.
• Industrial establishment where forests are cut down to provide land for industrial set up like in Namanve and to get fire wood for tea processing in Ankole tea estate, firing bricks in Butende and Uganda clays in Kajjansi.
• Mining activities foristance gold mining in kitaka-kamwenge, Buhweju-Bushenyi has led to clearing of forests in such areas for the activity.

EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION IN UGANDA

• Deforestation has led to the decreased amount of rainfall and also became unreliable. Foristance the area around Mt. Elgon have had their rain seasons changed simply because of forest destruction.
• It increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere especially in urban centres of Kampala and Jinja and this is responsible for increased temperatures and global warming.
• Deforestation especially on steep slopes of Mt. Elgon and Kigezi hills has led to increased soil erosion and mass wasting. This has reduced soil productivity hence low crop yields.
• The uncontrolled cutting down of trees has led to scarcity of wood and its products in many parts of Uganda especially in Masaka, Bushenyi, and Kigezi south western Uganda.
• Forests act as habitats for wildlife therefore their destruction means destruction of wildlife. For example the white rhinos are now extinct just because its habitant was destroyed.
• Man depend on forest for survival directly or indirectly therefore forest destruction means that such people like lumbers and herbalists in Mukono and Ssese islands will lose a base for their livelihood.
• It has affected water supply in rivers and lakes since forest destruction lowers the water table and rainfall received in areas of kigezi, Hoima and Manafa.

MEASURES TO CONSERVE FORESTS IN UGANDA

• The government of Uganda has established the ministry in charge of environment protection. This ministry has put special emphasis on the conservation of wildlife, wetlands and forests. There are now policies that are being followed by forest exploiters.
• The forest department has evicted many encroachers on the forest reserves like on Mabira and Kibale. Foristance the people who were occupaing 200ha had been evicted in Kibale.
• Education concerning the vitalness of forests has been carried out through mass media and other local authorities.
• Re-forestation programs are being carried out in various parts of the country. Foristance in Mbarara, Kabale, Arua, Mbale and Tororo.
• Afforestation programs are carried out, like planting of eucalyptus trees have been practiced in Ruhama, Mbarara, Ibuje in Apac, etc.
• Developments of other sources of energy like bio-gas, HEP, etc. in addition energy saving stoves which use less charcoal and fire wood have been introduced.
• The forest department through National Forestry Authority (NFA) has set up and maintained nursery beds to provide trees to farmers for planting and all this is intended to encourage people plant trees.
• Regular patrols by forest rangers to curb down illegal cutting of forests. This is limited in Uganda due to limited resources in the forest department.
• Forest boundaries have been planted with fire wood tree species in densely populated areas.
• Since 1986 the security situation in Uganda has been greatly improved. This improvement has helped to preserve the forests especially in eastern, central, western and southern Uganda.
• Family planning programs especially in rural areas have been encouraged to reduce on the rapid population growth rate which has cleared forests for other land use.
• Agro-forestry is being encouraged by farmers.