Summary:
- The National Forestry Authority, with partners, reports that 60% of the previously destroyed Kamgombe central forest reserve in Kagadi and Kibaale districts has been restored. Through the IFPACID program funded by the World Bank, 500 hectares have been restored in Kagadi district alone, involving community efforts. Challenges included mobilizing communities and boundary issues.
National Forestry Authority and its partners have revealed that 60% out of 80% hectares of destroyed Kamgombe central forest reserve in Kagadi and Kibaale districts has been restored.
This was disclosed by Boaz Basigirenda the NFA Range Manager for Budongo Systems range in Bunyoro sub region during a stakeholder’s engagement and evaluation meeting held at Kamukore C.O.U in Kamukore Village Ngoma Parish Bwikara Sub county Kagadi District.
According to Boaz Basigirenda, the Range Manager Budongo Systems Range, Kagombe Central Forest reserve sits on 17,751 Hectares of which 80% of this was depleted by encroachers by 2017.
However, Basigirenda was glad to inform stakeholders that through the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate smart Development program (IFPACID) being funded by the World Bank, at least 60% of the depleted Kagombe forest has since been restored.
Boaz says as NFA and its partners in one year they have restored 500 hectares in Kagadi district alone and that this work has been done by the communities under the Collaborative Forest Management-CFM
Boaz says this program aims at promoting Eco-tourism, promoting the livelihood of forest hosting communities, creating forest infrastructure like constructing roads in forests and visitor information centers.
Community Members involved in the restoration process of Kagombe Central Forest Reserve say they used to dig in the forest but when the government came with a restoration plan, they became actively involved and eventually left the forest.
“I used to dig in Kamukore Forest but when NFA brought the idea of planting trees, I accepted and now am glad that we have restored the forest,” Medias Kabatooro, resident of Kararike told Examiner
“We started planting in the villages of Kararike, Nyabigata, Kamukore and Nyamarembo villages and we were happy. At first I was also an encroacher,” Hope Kyomugisha, resident of Nyabigata added
Christopher Kamulegeya, the Sector Manager Kagombe Central Forest Reserve says over 95% equivalent to over 1,0000 hectares has been restored in Kagadi district alone but also noted that they met several challenges to achieve their target.
Kamulegeya says mobilizing the communities to accept their restoration plan, boundary opening among others were the major hindrances in their work
Titus Akora, the project manager for Forest Regeneration for enhanced carbon absorption Project (FRECA) under the Wild Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and partners of NFA revealed that they have in the past two years restored 726 Hectares of Kagombe forest reserve and are committed to also restoring more 600 Hectares this year.
Lillian Ruteraho, the RDC Kagadi who led the evaluation and monitoring team from the district and sub county local leaders appreciated the efforts exhibited by National Forestry Authority and its partners in the restoration of Kagombe Forest.
The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment, Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda Wildlife Authority and National Forest Authority is implementing The Uganda Investing in Forests and protected areas for Climate Smart Development (IFPA-CD) Project funded by World Bank.
The Objective of the project is to promote sustainable management of forests and protected areas for increased benefits to communities from forests in the Albertine Rift for eradication of increased vulnerability of economic productivity, biodiversity and livelihoods to climate change effects due to declining forestry ecosystems goods and services.
