Protect a Tree to Save a Gorilla : Involving the Communities

Who cuts down the trees? - Communities

Who is affected most by climate change? - Communitie

While natural forests exist in Uganda, many other artificial forests exist all around the country.

In the past people/ communities used to exploit and encroach on the few natural forests that existed at the time.

Today, this is changing little by little as the communities are taking charge of the conservation of their trees and forests. The communities are planting trees extensively on their own family plots.

People plant these forests in many cases not purposely to conserve the environment [as a direct cause] but for cases of individual benefits such as source of a living, timber for construction, fuel, extra.

Two case studies were taken from Western Uganda, East Africa. Bwindi impenetrable forest - Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Karuma Game reserve. The Bwindi impenetrable forest - Mgahinga Gorilla national Parks (Bwindi-Mgahinga Gorilla Parks) constitute some of Uganda's "protected areas". They are "protected" as a conservation measure, for Uganda's biological diversity. Even after designating the areas as protected areas, the communities continue to have vested interests and playing a leading role in terms of management and utilization of the areas. A scenario of forest utilization by traditional hunter-gatherers, the Batwa pygmies has also been presented. More importantly, these areas play host to the more than half (about 300) of the endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei) in the world. Karuma game reserve is yet another conservation area. It boasts of a successful resettlement scheme of formerly living inside the game reserve boundary.

Read Full Report : Community Involvement in Protecting Forests in Uganda

Often these artificial forests, have become homes for wild animals like monkeys, Gorillas and among other wild animals.

The recent "Friend a Gorilla "campaign launched last year in Uganda which also involved planting trees aimed at fostering the homeless Gorillas and conserving their species.

The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has also done a great job sensitizing the communities about the importance of afforestation and conserving the natural forests. They have also discouraged deforestation.

The communities have really done great with managing small family and group owned forests. Because many rural families still use firewood as the major source of fuel for example, and also faced with the need to conserve the forests, people have learnt that they can plant their own forests to contribute to the cause of climate change. Now people can fetch firewood, cut timber and hunt in their forests with out necessarily endangering the environment because they as they cut the trees they plant more.

The National Forest Authority has also been a role model in encouraging the planting of forests, this has been done/ achieved through planting forests in all districts of Uganda.